Or are school re DD’s earrings?

[Tygertiger]

Totally prepared to be told IABU so please don’t pile on me!

DD is Y5. She had her ears pierced a few weeks ago - deliberately now, so they’ve got ages to heal before she goes to secondary school and isn’t allowed them. I took her to a professional piercer so they were done with a needle not a gun, and therefore have labret studs in (ie flat backs not butterflies). The fronts are really tiny studs, basically flat against her earlobes. They really are the smallest studs she could be wearing and as both sides are flat against her lobes, they are as minimal risk for physical activity as they could be. DD is very active and does swimming, dance and gymnastics and all her coaches are happy for her to wear them.

School aren’t letting her do PE. I can understand that (although I think it’s unnecessary, I’m not going to query it). However, they’re also not letting her do Bikeability. This is a course with external coaches for kids who are already able to ride bikes, which teaches them road safety etc. School are saying she can only do it if she takes her earrings out.

I’ve checked with the Bikeability coaches (not in a weird stalker way, they all work at the local leisure centre so I asked them while we were there) and this is not their policy - they confirmed they go into other schools and don’t insist on children removing earrings in order to take part. They’re not bothered at all. It’s the school’s own policy. DD rides her bike all the time at home with her earrings in.

So WIBU to ask school if she can do it if I sign some kind of disclaimer to say I will not hold them responsible in any way if she falls off her bike and her earring causes damage? Or do we just have to take the earrings out? She’s desperate to do the course so sitting it out won’t be an option.

Yeah the school have probably seen enough accidents to know what risk they are happy with

I don’t agree with small children having theirs done

Mine were 4, perfectly healed by the time they went to school and could take them out themselves and no angst over PE swimming or bikes.

Sounds like the consequences of your actions to be honest. A valuable lesson for your daughter

OP didn't go to claires

That sounds really over the top of the school. Our primary school are fine with either taping over them or wearing the silicon retainers, for PE

I’d actually love to hear the reasoning as to why earrings can’t be in when playing PE, or why tiny studs are considered as crossing the line with schools. Can’t be doing with nonsense rules around this crap.

Kids with pierced ears before they’re about 12 are just rough

She didn't get them done at Claires
I assume their advice (Claires) is that 6 weeks is enough healing time whereas that isn't always true

I think it's disgusting the school aren't letting her do bikability. As if they'd hold her wearing earrings at higher importance than road safety. I hate schools obsession with controlling children's bodied.

WTAF.

Who speaks like this about children

If you read my posts I’ve been clear we DIDN’T go to Claire’s? I was being disparaging about them! I’d never go there in a million years!

Presumably she's also wearing a bike helmet, though? Seems a bit over the top!

If you'd seen some of the injuries I had then you would absolutely insist on no earrings. It's not just a rule for the sake of having a rule.

It’s not children. It’s parents. It’s not good to pierce primary school kids ears

Sometimes a blanket ban on all earrings is easier and fairer than saying you can't do PE because you have ABC earrings in but so and so can because they have xyz earrings in.

Kids with pierced ears before they’re about 12 are just rough

Are you allright?

But were they injuries with labret-style studs? I can see why butterflies are a problem, or sleepers/hoops. There’s literally nothing to catch on with these. They are totally flat on both sides, you push the post in from the back of the lobe and the front stud clicks in as the post is hollow. So nothing to catch on. You can sleep comfortably on them etc, nothing to dig in your head.

I would imagine only someone "rough" would lack filter enough to say that about a child.

Oops, too soon ... But if they've made their minds up then it's probably best to give her the choice - take them out and do the thing, or don't and don't.

Exactly.

I don’t have an issue with the PE rule.

I have an issue with the Bikeability rule as it’s not Bikeability insisting on it. And I wonder if the posters here who support the school would honestly never let a child who is a competent bike rider and wearing a helmet ride their bike with small earrings in.

My daughter doesn’t have her ears pierced she’s year 6 but nearly all of her friends do op so you’re certainly not in the minority. While they are healing they just put tape on them and they have to be small studs the school doesn’t make much of a fuss. It does sound a bit OTT to me.

Your DD might have the opportunity to do the bikeability course in Year 7 at her secondary school.

Don't be so melodramatic, it's nothing to do with "controlling children's bodies" 🙄

@Theos why?

School policy is outdated and potentially discriminatory. Our school tried to say girls couldn’t go swimming with earrings in, despite half the children having lessons at the same pool, WHERE THEY CAN WEAR EARRINGS FOR LESSONS. All the parents complained and school changed their tune.