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.

I agree.

I was bullied at primary school because of my clothes. School uniform at secondary put a stop to that.

I prefer uniforms. One of my DDs went to a no uniform school from 14 and it was a nightmare, all the brands

It all starts innocent enough - cheap polyester ill fitting clothing, great levelling. Then they put badges on the shirts and blazers, insist on particular shoes with laces because the velcro looks like a trainer, the PE uniform needs to be branded. The coat needs to be a (h&s nightmare in the winter) a dark colour. The skirt needs to be a certain length, the hair need to be cut a certain way - the list goes on. I know it's not an unusual comment but Instead of focusing on this shit - how about schools focus on teaching the kids. Schools have lost the plot.

I prefer school uniforms as otherwise clothes can be used as another thing for kids to get left out or bullied about.

However I don't see the need for the ridiculous strictness about it and children should be able to have their hair or piercings etc as they wish (as long as the latter are safe for PE). Teenage years are a good time for experimentation with such things and I see no need for schools to dictate this stuff.

No, they're not interesting in claiming them and frankly nor do I have time for children to all come up and sniff! I end up labelling the clothes myself if ever I manage to return anything.

Absolutely agree. A basic uniform should be black or grey bottoms and a white top. I can’t bear all the ‘natural colour hair only’ shit as it implies that those with unnatural colours are unable to function, learn and co-operate in society. Ditto all the other stupid rules

It doesn't have to be that way.

In my area all the state high schools have the same basic uniform - white shirt, black skirt or trousers, black shoes, black blazer with badge and braid. School tie.

It's normal for pupils to be given a school tie when they start secondary/high school. Nowadays, the schools organise their own supplier for the blazer. Blazers are normally only required for seniors. If a child can't afford one, the school usually steps in to help.

No uniform is a bully’s dream

@HelpMeHelpMyBro it's not a myth, I had no clothes would have been so embarrassed having to wear the same outfit every day. I would have had an awful time at school without uniform.

I don't mind school uniforms in general. But I think some go too far. When we were looking round primary schools for DD1 we didn't like the one that had ties in reception. Or where the uniform policy stated different coloured hair ties for regular uniform (green or grey, the school colours) and PE kit (black hair ties only). There cannot be a rational justification for that at all. It's pointless and controlling nitpicking at that stage.

I also don't like any restrictions on taking off blazers when it's hot.

Absolutely true

Uniform literally means - remaining the same in all cases and at all times; unchanging in form or character.

It’s a means of control for the masses

I get the arguments for it as a leveller but having to buy blazers, school bags etc from one specific shop is NOT a leveller. It’s the opposite.

Uniform should be scrapped and children should be asked to wear plain bottoms and a plain top in black, white or grey. That truly would be a leveller as you can buy from a supermarket

No uniform is a bully’s dream

So presumably all the schools in countries with no uniform have way more bullying than the UK then? I doubt there's any correlation tbh. If kids want to bully someone for not fitting in, or for not looking cool etc, they will do it whether there is uniform or not. Everyone knows who the rich and poor kids are, and the fashionable and unfashionable ones - nobody is fooled by uniform.

I agree either way lots of you. Basic uniform, fine. Endless boneheaded crackdowns of arbitrary, unjustifiable uniform rules, not fine at all.

I like school uniforms, as long as they are comfortable and practical. For much of my working life (office) I also wore a uniform and I much preferred that to having to buy clothes just to wear to work and decide what to actually wear each morning.

This is just such a myth, like the kids don't know who's poor

Yes, they can tell who is poor, but at least they are all wearing the same clothes. Having one or two sets of clothes to wear amongst kids who are continually wearing new clothes and the best labels is a very different thing.

I wasn't in that position myself, although we weren't rich, but I fully understand it. Some people seem to be rather lacking in understanding, not to mention empathy.

Twenty years ago, I worked for a bank and they wanted us to wear their uniform trousers which I couldn't wear as whatever was in them flared up areas of eczema on my legs.

I got told off many times by the BM. I said who is going to look at my trousers when I am sitting at a cashier point?

We are playing that game are we? Snack money? What's that? We had free school meals and that it was it from the time we left for school until we had our dinner (no pudding) in the evening. The tops of our shoes shone but the bottoms had holes. We didn't have 'school bags' we used a carrier bag, lots of people did. If the handle went you tied it up. Our school clothes were in much better condition than our normal clothes. We were clean and tidy even thought we didn't have a pot to piss in. The bottom line is nobody knew how poor we were, it made a difference to level of grief we got.

Lots of us had free school meals and I believe that it was a leveller.

I hated the uniforms. It was awful each night making sure everything was washed, dried and ironed and ready for the morning

It’s ok saying dc should do it but the stress it caused the following day when they realised they had got the wrong thing and the right thing needed sponging down/ironed or just finding was too much for one person to take on.

I remember dd showing me at 7pm how her skirt hem had come unstitched

Rather than being able to say just where your jeans or one of the other skirts she had I had to stay up half the night sewing the hem

Visited a senior school and the HT said the pupils in 6th form could wear their own clothes.
Then listed all the things you couldn’t wear
as it was to make sure everyone was “Office Ready”
Didn’t really cover those who wanted to do other things

Also ds’s senior school uniform cost over £600 and the £60 Rugby shirt (which he wore twice) changed design the following year and there was no 2nd hand shop to buy or swap uniform.

I binge watched the channel 4 'Educating xxxxx' series a while back and I was genuinely taken aback by the amount of time and energy spent inspecting thinks like tiny logos on shoes. It just seemed like such a waste of time and must have been such a pain in arse for teachers (the inspections didn't seem to serve as a deterrent). I know it's TV, and the programmes are quite a few years old now, but it seemed crazy to me.

Maybe we are lucky but I think our primary uniforms are pretty great- they have branded jumpers and polos but if you buy the unbranded supermarket versions they are fine with this. Any black school shoes are fine as long as they aren't trainers. White t shirt and black shorts for PE, any kind. Any grey trousers are fine. We live in a semi-poor area and I think its great they seem to be aware of families that don't have a lot to spend on it. When my sons school shoes unexpected ripped open at the front they were fine with him wearing trainers for a couple of days until his new ones arrived in the post. I think its useful not having to plan outfits and I like the distinction between school clothes and home clothes.

The school I went to didn't have a uniform, most kids just wore Jeans, T shirt or sweatshirt & trainers, no competition in what they wore, the nearest to competition was how many holes they had showing in their Dr Martens boots.

So much magical thinking about uniforms in this country. Socioeconomic disparities, disruptive behaviour, poor attendance, bullying - all of these things can be solved by a blazer. Amazing really. Don't know why they bother loading up those aid trucks to Gaza with food and medicine. Just give them all a bunch of blazers - that'll sort everything out.

Straw man anyone? Those things are caused by this countries inability to rid it self of it class structure, ignorance, apathy and xenophobia. Nothing to do with textiles used in a specific context.