Not allowed blazer off at school- normal?

[BedBugs5]

The DC’s school has recently toughened its uniform policy and one rule in particular is causing controversy. The policy used to be that blazers had to be worn between lessons, but could be taken off in class with permission of the teacher. That seemed fair enough.

However, now the school has a “zero tolerance” policy whereby blazers have to be worn at all times on school premises, including in lessons. They can only be removed in class if the headteacher allows removal in exceptionally warm weather- DC aren’t allowed to ask permission.

The DC have complained about being warm. Is this policy normal for secondary schools and they just need to suck it up?

This is why we have a mental health crisis in the school population and a demoralised profession.

Adolescents were actually human beings last time I checked and if they are restricted or too hot encased in polyester over several hours, they should be able to do what other humans can do, and remove the offending garment.

Some of this is just basic human rights to be - to be comfortable in one's own body is pretty fundamental to remaining regulated and attentive.

Whoever is making this stuff up lacks a grip on the determinants of education successful and personal wellbeing.

sorry - that was typotastic.

It's both normal and ridiculous, unfortunately.

At my secondary school 20 years ago the new headteacher decided that making everyone ask before removing their blazer was a good idea. The teacher I most respected was the one who gave us all blanket permission to wear or not wear them as we felt comfortable - 'but if Miss NewHead asks about it, you asked each lesson and I said yes.'

The teacher who pulled up next to me in her air-conditioned car as I was walking home on a hot summer day and asked why I wasn't wearing my blazer? Respect lost instantly.

Things move on; it seems as if the petty tyrants have now realised that asking permission wastes a lot of classroom time, but instead of getting rid of the stupid policies, decided to make them worse by banning the requests and causing teenagers even more discomfort instead.

Never heard of this in Scotland. What's all this pish about not wearing a coat either? Why are English schools allowed to have such power? Why do the parents stand for it?

Absolutely baffling.

I doubt the “school” is trying to achieve anything. The head is probably trying to achieve a personal reputation as a tough, no-nonsense type, which has become fashionable in some quarters.

If it causes even more students to refuse school, and increases teacher burnout by forcing them to act as petty tyrants, those are just unfortunate byproducts.

It seems like this might be a good situation for kids to learn about the role of civil disobedience in maintaining a democratic society. If a critical mass of students refuse the uniform, there isn’t a damn thing the school can do about it, particularly if the parents refuse to support detentions or other consequences. They aren’t going to put 300 students in “isolation” or exclude them. And if they try the head will get caught up in a media shitstorm, which this particular head probably considers s fate worse than death.

cour they don't have any chefs, doctors or armed forces in countries where children don't have uniform. They all starve, are ill and constantly invaded. All because they didn't have a strict blazer rule......

It really is ridiculous in some schools now. I know two kids with very severe eczema who have struggled in polyester blazers, collar and ties all day long. Told they could have permission to ask the teachers if it became too uncomfortable. FGS.

I get broad rules but as other have said I just wish teens treated as humans

In the 70s at my school, blazers were optional summer term wear and we had a uniform mac in winter. They were left in cloakrooms, along with our outdoor shoes on arrival at school. The cloakrooms were locked during lesson times. But we did have to ask permission to open the windows as it involved using a long window pole. How things change!

nothing has changed about windows

in fact it is probably the same window

Kids are treated awful in school. In the hot summer made to wear blazers . Whilst the teacher wears appropriate clothing for the summer. Surely kids being to hot means they don't perform so well in lessons.

I'm not saying it's right but I can understand why a handful of kids rebell at school.

In my child's school they have 3/4 roll calls a day. One is (after) school. They dismiss one class at a time . Making kids late for the transport links etc.

Normal, ridiculous, petty rule.
I have tons my DC that if its hot, and the staff member taking their lesson isn't wearing a blazer or jacket, they should take theirs off.
I've also said if it's hot, they should ask to take it off, and even if they're told no, take it off.

I understand wearing it to and from school, but beyond that, pointless policy.

Same. My DD said her class were all told to put their blazers back on when they were too hot yesterday.

I know children need to learn to follow rules etc. But it seems alot of schools are on a power trip. Adults don't get treated like that in their work place.

Something needs to be done it might improve school attendance for one .

Single99
There's a vicious cycle in some areas now.

The move to stricter behaviour policies was because there were some schools that weren't good. In fact they were quite bad. Often these schools were in areas where there were a lot of intergenerational issues and family cultures didn't value education.

Eg you'd ring to invite a child to a revision opportunity and the parents decide they wouldn't dare have a child be seen staying behind for revision, or you ring to discuss poor progress and the parents say they did fine without GCSEs so staff need to stop picking on their child.

Behaviour in many of these schools was poor and standards were poor.

Some of the more stricter standards and tough love meant those schools became safer and manageable for the majority who probably did want to learn.

At some point the idea of zero tolerance has ran away with itself though and school/MAT leadership seem to be in competition with each other to be the toughest.

I can't stand this sort of shit at school.
If I'm too hot at work I can take a layer off as appropriate...or put more clothes on if I'm cold. I imagine the same happens in the vast majority of work places unless specific items are required for practical or Health and safety reasons. Blazers are not practical for lots of subjects anyway!

Recently in cold weather DD had exams in an unheated sports hall. They were very strict about about no coats, while all the teachers and invigilators wore coats.

Covid wound me up the most - I sympathised with schools for the ever changing rules and all the procedures being brought in ,but they made life so much harder by being uber petty about uniform rules. My teen DD being so miserable and cold because all the doors and windows were open, they had to sit out every lunchtime even in zero degrees. She would come home and get straight into bed fully clothed and not move until dinner. I asked about wearing boots to school but the teacher said no but recommended thermal tights. She wore 2 pairs of socks and tights but both kids got chilblains

This is the sort of batshit rule that made me turn from being pro school uniform back in the day to wishing for it to be abolished totally.

It's increasingly normal, unfortunately. I'm just glad I no longer have school age children.

When I was at secondary school we had a blazer and a jumper/cardigan. You could wear either or both, or you could take one or both off if needed. No need for this ridiculousness of having to ask permission all the time. This was back in the late seventies and early eighties.

I didn't like our school uniform, but at least they were not so rigid on this blazer crap.

I genuinely think I'd never cope with secondary school now - I have sensory issues, can't deal with being too hot, certain fabric or being too constrained so having to wear a tie and a sweaty poly blazer at a desk would make me panicky and really unhappy.

Thanks for all the comments- it seems like this rule is the norm.

In some ways I wouldn’t mind the DC having to ask for permission or even setting a temperature threshold for removal, but some of the DC are finding it quite uncomfortable with removal not being allowed at all.

Maybe they will get used to it but I hope the head is reasonable during the summer months!