Schools insistence on uniform rules are behind the times

[spanieleyes22]

I know I will be slated for saying this but just reading a thread from a poster who is disappointed that there is not a more formal dress code at work and so many people saying everyone is more casual in offices all over the place and suits are more worn by older people in the city. Yet schools seem to put so much faith in whether a boy keeps his shirt tucked in or how short a girls skirt is. God forbid they dye their hair or have more than 1 stud earring. Isn't it time for schools to loosen up wrt dress code? In the Scandinavian countries there is no uniform. Does this mean their teenagers are wild and don't learn anything. Why are we so hung up on not allowing teenagers to express themselves.

In practice children create their own level playing field. In non-uniform schools, the vast majority of kids turn up in jeans, T-shirts and sweatshirts.

It really doesn't. Wander by any secondary school with a uniform at going home time. and it's a virtual certainty that every girl emerging will have her skirt rolled up to knicker-skimming levels.

As teachers on this thread have testified, far too many of those battles are about uniform. A ludicrous amount of teacher time is wasted on policing whether people have the right shoe brand and the right colour socks. Maybe if they didn't spend so much time on that they could eat with the bullying issueswhich people perceive as happening as soon as there is no uniform?

That's not the case at my DD's school. They are the only school who have a rule that the skirt must be on the knee. Not all the girls are that long but they are at shortest just above the knee. Plenty of girls wear trousers too. At the other local schools I see lots of girls with very short skirts which combined with their blazers doesn't look very smart. My DD's school has no tie and the only local one with no blazer - they look the smartest.

Why do you like blazers so much? They always seemed to me really uncomfortable and impractical. Do you wear them now as an adult?

What is the obsession with looking smart (whatever that means). Why can't they just look like kids. Obviously without boobs hanging out or any of that jazz, but what exactly is the reasoning behind 'looking smart'? And who defined what it is anyway?

I’m a teacher. We definitely do spend a lot of time policing uniform issues (a lot of which could be curbed with more parental support though - allowing children to wear trainers or wear skirts too short or not wear a tie to school - but that is another thread I suppose). We would spend even more time policing appropriate dress as is witnessed on non-uniform days or trips with crop tops and “road man” style dress. I said this in my earlier post and someone replied to say people wear what they want at University and they manage okay. To which I replied they are adults and not 11 year olds. There would be even more bullying incidents created by some students not wearing the “in” trend or label. The behaviour is always worse on non-uniform days. Overall I would have to disagree with your argument but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

In a non uniform school, in my experience, it's not the case that the kids get hung up on clothes. It was much worse for me on the non uniform days in my school.

Whose definition of 'smart' and what does 'smart' even mean?

Can someone also explain to me exactly what is wrong with leggings and joggers?

What is more important at school, how children look, or how they learn? Do you think they may learn better if they are comfortable?

What harm exactly does it do if a child has a sparkly hairband? Do you think teachers should be spending time making a fuss about hairbands or spending time teaching?

I don't understand the obsession with smartness either. I don't understand why people want to teach children that what they look like matters. Surely we have got past that these days? At school, all that matters is what is going on inside their heads.

I went to a fee paying school. We had blazers, but only ever wore them outdoors. In school we had jumpers and either long or short sleeve shirts, it was totally our choice which we wore, In the summer we had fairly hideous gingham cotton dresses, but at least they were cool and practical. I really can't understand the obsession of academies with blazers, they're pretty ridiculous things which virtually no-one ever wears once they leave school.

Scotland here. My sons attend a secondary where they are encouraged to where black. For school events and photos they hand out polo shirts and ties, otherwise the kids are in joggers and hoodies. My kids are comfortable and happy and learning just fine.
we used to live in England with ridiculous uniform rules. Their performance in school hasn’t deteriorated because they now wear what they want.
Oh and no one gives a monkeys about piercings or hair “extremes”

It's actually teaching them to find fault with kids who don't fit in/aren't perfect. At least in non uniform schools there's a bit of everything going on. It's definitely been better in my experience. I was v relieved when DD got into the non uniform secondary, she was entirely unimpressed with the idea of having to wear a uniform!

Why would anyone want their child to wear a blazer? That's just odd.

My kids go to a school without uniform. Zero issues. It's bliss not having to worry about it.

The thing is that even if schools didn't have a uniform they would still have a dress code and some parents would still whinge about it.

Not if it's sensible

Yeah, but you'll always get dickheads and there's really no mitigating for that. You have to make the rules for the greater good. I (personally) don't believe uniforms are for the greater good. It's clearly not a universal viewpoint though.

What do you class as sensible?

Same as anywhere. Weather appropriate, nothing too tight or revealing, comfortable.

I beg to differ.

I have an MA in street style.

Clothing is basic anthropology. It expresses everything, including lack of imagination.

Yet there will be those that turn up in tight and revealing clothing (both male and female). I've even seen pupils run around in the rain without a coat.

I am also going to say that I do agree with you. but some will always complain and some pupils will always take the piss.

Whilst I appreciate your point due to experience. I just don’t see how that would be the case in my school. I see how obsessed a lot of them are about projecting a certain image. You can even see it in the coats they choose to wear to school; Canada Goose, CP, Stone Island. Very expensive designer labels deliberately picked to project a certain image which can often be coupled with defiance. A lot (not all) would definitely be hung up on the clothes as clothes are a major part of their identity.

As a teenager when I voted with the majority to make it compulsory? I liked it because it looked nice and had loads of useful pockets and was just what I always thought school uniform should be. No idea why everyone else voted for it and if they had similar reasons.

Do I wear one as an adult? No, already answered that. Doesn't stop me thinking they look nice for children and that they are useful.

Nothing deep about it, it's almost entirely aesthetic. I find it odd how much they seem to rile people up.