Headteacher backtracks after calling for 'gender neutral' uniform

[hellooooooomama]

He was going to ban skirts.

Parental feedback was not sought initially, but they've had plenty of it since the change was announced!

My opinion. Police the children effectively if they're not wearing it properly. Don't punish the girls who are following the rules.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9915zgvjk4o?at_link_id=743ED69C-41D3-11F0-AA25-C9355B601FDF&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_link_origin=BBC_Essex&at_link_type=web_link&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_medium=social&at_format=image&at_campaign_type=owned&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKuxqJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk6aensTQMd06TSswic5MxNQHZ2Ru4bMWTwlqBl_l3XOBjgDph5zvELMd7g9_aem_wrAH7AjLCJqPj7Nn6TwJcg

I'll pass thanks.

Is that the Aussie equivalent of trying to look down with the people? Instead of a white shirt rolled up to the elbows, a high vis jacket or a pint in hand?

Polo tops and sweatshirts seem quite common ‘top half’ wear at schools around me. So why not make the bottom half similar ie joggers? They would be comfortable and loose enough to hide period pads.

To be fair it was often in his role as a volunteer lifesaver on his local beach. Red Speedos are part of the uniform. He would also go swimming at his local beach in Speedos of various colours.

It doesn't mean that British parents are wrong to want uniform. This is a matter of preference not fact and preferring a uniform is fine. There are good arguments in favour of uniforms, just as there are arguments against.

Slow down and read the post again. The poster simply said:
I've seen arguments about slim girls not being able to get skirts the right length, but at a local Comp, all the Muslim girls, even tall, slim ones, manage to find them.
That is not advocating that we 'copy Muslims' let alone that we introduce Sharia law.

I went to a non uniform primary. It'd be hell at high school.

I do remember one non uniform day in yr8 at high school. One girl - the class nerd - wore a completely yellow track suit. That was enough to convince me that the shitty uniform I hated wasn't so bad after all.

One of the issues is we assume that since other countries cope without uniform it would work in the UK.

The problem is that there's different cultural attitudes to fashion elsewhere. The UK is particularly faddy and particularly fast moving in terms of fashion. If you go to other European countries it's much less so and much more practically based. The UK leads fast fashion in terms of consumption. We are much more brand orientated than elsewhere too.

So applying this to High School in the UK wouldn't necessarily work, because out cultural differences would add to social pressures in this area rather than remove them.

I'd like to be wrong but I just think it's a much broader thing.

You can tell Brits a mile off from what they wear when you go abroad from the cut, colour, brand and styling.

Most Brits have no experience of uniform, and think that no uniform instantly means huge pressures about clothing in the manner of occasional non-uniform days. I’ve seen it play out on MN repeatedly. That is, of course, wrong. You can’t equate the odd high-pressure non-uniform day with never having to wear uniform at all.

What I don’t know if why Brits are so different to the rest of Europe which copes perfectly well.

Perhaps Britain has this attitude to fashion precisely because of school uniform?

DD was at a non-uniform primary. It was fantastic.

See my post above.

Clothing culture across Europe for adults is less pressured. This passes down to kids.

It's the whole not wearing a coat thing in the UK. You go elsewhere in Europe and they think we are insane for going out in sub zero temperatures without a coat. The mentality is to dress appropriately for the weather.

We are fashion obsessed to a point, it's frankly unhealthy at times.

See my post above - I think our obsession with fashion is precisely because we have school uniform.

Like I said, on the thread from a while back with those who had experience of both (which most Brits don’t, either for themselves or their children), a majorly preferred no uniform.

Most Brits cope perfectly well with uniform and Europeans have no experience of it so that works both ways.

I don't think so at all.

It's our consumer culture and marketing. Things in the UK are marketed differently. It much more aggressive and intense. More American in style.

We have the same issue with music. We are much more fickle. Probably because we are single city led to a certain degree (not as true as it was - but still for the most part).

The US doesn't have the same issues because it's sheer size means that it takes longer for trends to gain traction and take hold. And there is the religious element too which tempers a lot of it (rightly or wrongly). So fashion's last longer.

It's something inherently unique about the UK and not restricted to clothing.

@Ddakji I’ve got experience with both uniform and non uniform. Non uniform is crap. I much prefer a uniform. I miss my DD having a uniform. I’m not British though so I guess my opinion doesn’t count.

Don’t be silly.

There's some Inspector Gadget overreach going on from some posters. Nobody called for Sharia Law, I have observed that the Muslim girls at the local school have managed to follow the School Rules on skirt length, when lots of parents of other girls say they can't find skirts that fit their daughters and are the right length.
At my son's school the new skirts are stitched down pleated design, come in 4 different lengths for each size, and have inside waist adjusters. The girls still roll them up to their arse cheeks, and the female deputy head has complained about how much time is wasted trying to get the girls to follow the uniform rules. If you don't like it, go to a school without those uniform rules.

I remember rather ironically a few years ago there was a fad in boys trousers and we got a group email home complaining they were too short and too tight.

They didn't manage to follow anything though, they've been told from young age that they are to cover themselves up or they'll be considered whores, nobody would marry them or their sisters, they'll be bringng shame on themselves, their families and communities and simply their lives are often in danger if they dont submit to the control. So yes they choose to wear what they wouldn't have chosen to had they been brought up without shame, control and threats to own safety. I'm sure if your life is in danger you'll accept trousers too, even if if they don't fit and you don't want the. It's not a good way to treat girls or women. It's a horrible example to use that girls can find trousers to fit them if need be.

Except it was skirts, not trousers🙄.

Cos all Muslim girls in the UK are in danger from their families who practice Sharia law... Obviously.

And there's no such thing as a moderate Muslim family who just respect the rules like a whole bunch of Middle Class White families who have parents who are capable of explaining why wearing your skirt around your armpits isn't quite the look you thought you were achieving.

And to maybe respect yourself and liberate yourself from peer pressure to show your knickers and that this type of overly sexualised behaviour is a) not normal b) not empowering c) really not that attractive anyway, rather than it being anything to do with fear.

Careful now. People might start to spot your racist agenda if you aren't...

What race are we talking about?
Relax and get off the feminist forum, nobody wants your mysoginist agenda on here.

There's quite a lot wrong with skirts being rolled or cut so they are so short that adults need to walk upstairs at work or on the bus with their eyes shut, though.

And stop referring to children as attractive or sexualising them.

I think you’ll fine that @RedToothBrush is considerably more of an asset to FWR than you are. And has been for many years now.

I bet. The same asset as a 6.5 foot bloke in a dress in a womens toilet. Great asset to women's rights.

Ok. If this is how you feel about the issue would you be happy if the female teachers in school (or the male) wore skirts that showed their knickers when they went up stairs, or sat on a lab stool, or sat on the floor in a Drama lesson? Why/Why not?