The High School "Wearing Sweatshirts At All Times Until Easter" Rule

Annisele

Sounds like the idea is to produce obedient children.

"Obedient" is sort of a compliment when applied to a very young child - but it's not a compliment to tell an adult that they're obedient / compliant. I'd certainly prefer a child that knew when it was hot and acted accordingly to one that fainted while following the rules...

duchy

j.e.j. wrote: »

Good Grief! You know, I think even prisoners get more rights and freedoms than our schoolchildren :rotfl: What on earth is to be gained by forcing someone to wear a sweater in hot weather. How does looking sweaty and hot & bothered 'look better'?

Maybe when someone passes out from the heat they'll re-think their rules..

Doubt it . No one is forced to send their child to a particular school....or indeed any school at all as you can home school ...... So hardly prisoners. If the parents don't like a rule they have a choice to remove their overheating little cherubs.

Blackpool_Saver

look smart, feel smart

FBaby

I think that any opportunities to teach kids that they need to follow rules however stupid they are is preparing them to workforce. Let's face it, they will be confronted to it everyday. Better to get told off by the headteacher or get a detention than getting sacked later on when starting working life!

geri1965_2

I can't remember any of these petty rules at my school. We did have a uniform, and my jumper was deemed not appropriate and I had earrings confiscated, but I'm pretty sure we were allowed to take off clothes if we were too hot.

Pathetic.

daisiegg

As a teacher, I completely agree with those who think these rules are ridiculous. I do think that uniform rules in general are important (although our school has guidelines about what denier the girls' tights need to be at different times of year - and to think someone spent a large portion of a meeting discussing that at some point!!) but not at the expense of comfort. We don't have rules about jumpers but we do about blazers. I couldn't care less whether my students keep their blazers on or not. I always look very surprised when I have a new class and they ask if they can remove their blazers, and I tell them not to ask me in future - just to take them off if they want. Indeed, I actually think blazers are really restrictive and I prefer to see them looking more comfortable as they work.

It's like going to the toilet. In our school the rule is we are not meant to let them go to the toilet during lessons unless they have a 'toilet pass'. Forget that! I am there to teach them, not police their bodily functions. If someone asks to go to the toilet in my lessons I say yes. Yeah, if I can tell they are just wanting to waste some time, I might say 'just finish this bit you are on and ask me again in 5 minutes' - if they were just time wasting they will forget about it and not ask again but if they really needed to go, they will.

I always feel a bit aggrieved on threads like this when some people seem to think the teachers support and enjoy the silly rules - trust me, most of us don't! They come from much higher up than us and we think they are as ridiculous as you do.

claire16c

I'm so pleased the school I went to didn't have this silly rule.

a51_ufo

daisiegg wrote: »

As a teacher, I completely agree with those who think these rules are ridiculous. I do think that uniform rules in general are important (although our school has guidelines about what denier the girls' tights need to be at different times of year - and to think someone spent a large portion of a meeting discussing that at some point!!) but not at the expense of comfort. We don't have rules about jumpers but we do about blazers. I couldn't care less whether my students keep their blazers on or not. I always look very surprised when I have a new class and they ask if they can remove their blazers, and I tell them not to ask me in future - just to take them off if they want. Indeed, I actually think blazers are really restrictive and I prefer to see them looking more comfortable as they work.

It's like going to the toilet. In our school the rule is we are not meant to let them go to the toilet during lessons unless they have a 'toilet pass'. Forget that! I am there to teach them, not police their bodily functions. If someone asks to go to the toilet in my lessons I say yes. Yeah, if I can tell they are just wanting to waste some time, I might say 'just finish this bit you are on and ask me again in 5 minutes' - if they were just time wasting they will forget about it and not ask again but if they really needed to go, they will.

I always feel a bit aggrieved on threads like this when some people seem to think the teachers support and enjoy the silly rules - trust me, most of us don't! They come from much higher up than us and we think they are as ridiculous as you do.

Agreed. I am also a teacher who has to enforce many uniform rules! We don't have blazers but we do have jumpers that pupils have to wear until the May half term! If they are too hot in lessons they ask to take them off (I have of course never said no to that question) but have to ensure they put them back on when leaving the room!

gardenia101

sassyblue wrote: »

That's terrible!

OP l think its a stupid rule, some kids are warmer than others it's awful to feel hot l can't imagine trying to study like it and in high school aren't they trying to prepare the students to think for themselves to be ready for the world?

Could the students get together and take it to the head that they wish to hold a ballot about this issue, it is after all NOT in their rule book (l hope they don't get reprinted as soon as this issue gets serious).

I would like to think if the students tackle the issue in a grown up democratic way then they might get the rule changed.

The rule has been discussed at school council meetings before - well, I say discussed more a case of the council being told that rules are rules & uniform wasn't even up for discussion....

This week has been the first time I have actually seen the rule appear in print with uniform details - so I'm guessing I'll be hauled in for another discussion when my DD refuses to wear it again next week. Heaven help her (& others) when the heating gets switched on in October (whether it needs to be on or not :rotfl:).

Umistboy wrote: »

I work as a teacher in an Outstanding Secondary school and our head lets the parents choose on matters like this: they can follow the uniform rules the school set out or they can choose to go to another school.

Discipline is superb as students don't feel like they are in charge anymore. There is never any major complaints, problems etc in the intense heat and overall behaviour is deemed outstanding.

5 years ago it was the complete opposite and it all changed when the head made clear all the rules/expectations and stuck to them 100% in every single instance. That was the only change - that there will be no leniency and questioning of the schools decisions. Parents and kids simply recognise that if they don't like it they must go elsewhere.

On a side note, school reputation, attendance, student numbers, exam results, student behaviour and learning are all at all-time bests and have been for ~3 years now. Ofsted deemed the school "outstanding" in every single category.

This school was also ranked as outstanding for many years, but in the last Ofsted only the behaviour & safety of pupils remained outstanding - the leadership & management & quality of teaching had dropped to good.

balletshoes wrote: »

the staff at my daughter's secondary school are treated this way - they are not allowed to remove jackets/roll up sleeves/loosen ties unless the Head says so.

We have the "one rule for pupils & another for staff" situation - staff can wear what they like as long as it is smart. Males must wear shirt & tie, but no jacket if they're too hot, women appear to be able to wear whatever they like - even denim if you're an edgy arts teacher.

Since the note appeared I've noticed what the staff wear more than usual - not seen a single man in a jacket inside, & women are all wearing short sleeves or lightweight long sleeved shirts/dresses. So they evidently don't feel it is cold enough for a second layer yet

daisiegg wrote: »

As a teacher, I completely agree with those who think these rules are ridiculous. I do think that uniform rules in general are important (although our school has guidelines about what denier the girls' tights need to be at different times of year - and to think someone spent a large portion of a meeting discussing that at some point!!) but not at the expense of comfort. We don't have rules about jumpers but we do about blazers. I couldn't care less whether my students keep their blazers on or not. I always look very surprised when I have a new class and they ask if they can remove their blazers, and I tell them not to ask me in future - just to take them off if they want. Indeed, I actually think blazers are really restrictive and I prefer to see them looking more comfortable as they work.

I always feel a bit aggrieved on threads like this when some people seem to think the teachers support and enjoy the silly rules - trust me, most of us don't! They come from much higher up than us and we think they are as ridiculous as you do.

A lot of the teachers in the school don't agree with it either - but don't want to rock the boat & talk to management.... A shame really as the teachers could make life more comfortable for their students (& deal with the overpowering aroma of teenage boy) but they are too busy worrying about regarding pupils to fit in with whatever the latest management "thing" is. Daisiegg - that isn't meant as an attack on you, just venting my frustration with a school that demands a "one size" policy for all its pupils.

We haven't yet had the denier tights discussion, but as I've seen fishnets around school I doubt it be long before we do!

I'm all for children looking smart & following uniform rules if they make sense, & understand the "getting ready for the world of work" argument (although can someone please explain how it's a valuable life skill for a girl to learn how to wear a tie?).

But I am struggling with how the whole "we want to produce pupils who can think & work independently & take responsibility for their own actions" sits alongside the "we will tell you when you are too hot" rule. From some of the replies I'm glad I'm not the only one.

gardenia101

Oh & we also have a "visible make up & nail varnish are not allowed" rule. Not sure if that means a blanket no make up/nail varnish allowed at all, or if the invisible stuff is ok to wear :rotfl:

This rule is most definitely not enforced - some of the Y8 wear more make than I ever wore when I used to go clubbing....