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

Tiddlywinks

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

It was one reason we didn't choose the school, it summed everything up that I didn't want for my kids. Are they ever going to be allowed to think for themselves? It's just absurd.

It is a school not a club - why shouldn't there be rules?

Parents need to set an example by explaining the need for rules to their children.

If a rule seems unfair then parents should NOT support their child in flouting it but should pursue the correct route to challenge it... Be it a parents' meeting or whatever.

Children need to understand that rules are everywhere in life and are actually a necessary part of a successful society.

FBaby wrote: »

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!

^^^ This...

Person_one

daisiegg wrote: »

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.

Thank you!

The toilet rules used to really anger me. Some 50 year old male teacher telling a teenage girl she can't go to the toilet? I found it appalling even then, girls would sometimes be forced to either just walk out and get in trouble or have to try and explain that the problems was period related, how humiliating was that?

I don't buy the idea that teaching people to follow stupid and belittling rules prepares them for the world of work. Once you're working the rules generally make sense, and if they don't, you can go to a manager, to HR, you're allowed to challenge them and put your case forward!

balletshoes

gardenia101 wrote: »

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....

we have a "subtle" make-up rule - but nail polish is allowed (which does surprise me, considering all the other rules about appearance).

ash28

It's a blazer at our grandson's school. Has to be worn at all times (can take them off during class) unless told otherwise.

If they're out of school and in uniform then the blazer must be worn. During periods of hot weather the school relaxes the blazer rule, thought the tie still has to be worn.

They have an optional sleeveless jumper.....GS wears this under his blazer in the winter.

Kids look really smart, it's a form of discipline IMHO, unfortunately we can't go through life doing what we like (I wish), and I think an enforced school uniform is a form of "towing the line".

For parents who think their children should have freedom of choice, it's simple, choose a different school with different standards.

Year 12 & 13 still wear a uniform but have a different blazer, shirt and tie.....the rules still apply.

starlight29

my daughter has to wear a blazer at all times summer and winter

starlight

Lunar_Eclipse

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

It is a school not a club - why shouldn't there be rules?

Parents need to set an example by explaining the need for rules to their children.

If a rule seems unfair then parents should NOT support their child in flouting it but should pursue the correct route to challenge it... Be it a parents' meeting or whatever.

Children need to understand that rules are everywhere in life and are actually a necessary part of a successful society.



^^^ This...

Of course there should be rules; I never suggested otherwise.

However, as parents we reap what we sow. Children who never think for themselves or question anything do not usually grow up to be ambitious individuals capable of (ground breaking) independent thought. There are respectful and disrespectful ways of going about most things in life.

Progress in anything, comes from questioning the status quo. It's a good and natural way of looking at things. Just think of (your) working life: what could we do differently to improve workplace safety/increase customer satisfaction/improve profit etc. I would never encourage anyone, of any age, to blindly follow rules.

Education is partly about making people think and question, obviously in a respectful manner. It is not about blindly following all the rules you are told to, in any aspect of life.

Parents encouraging children to flout all the rules at school is another matter entirely.

gardenia101

FBaby wrote: »

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!

Sadly FBaby I think you are probably right - even if the thought depresses me

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

It is a school not a club - why shouldn't there be rules?

Parents need to set an example by explaining the need for rules to their children.

If a rule seems unfair then parents should NOT support their child in flouting it but should pursue the correct route to challenge it... Be it a parents' meeting or whatever.

Children need to understand that rules are everywhere in life and are actually a necessary part of a successful society.

I have discussed the rules with my DD & this is the only uniform rules she chooses not to follow on certain days (& she isn't the only one).

The students have bought this up at student council meetings & they aren't even allowed to discuss it....

I hope to raise it at the next parents' forum.

ash28 wrote: »

They have an optional sleeveless jumper.....GS wears this under his blazer in the winter.

Kids look really smart, it's a form of discipline IMHO, unfortunately we can't go through life doing what we like (I wish), and I think an enforced school uniform is a form of "towing the line".

For parents who think their children should have freedom of choice, it's simple, choose a different school with different standards.

Year 12 & 13 still wear a uniform but have a different blazer, shirt and tie.....the rules still apply.

I like the sound of a sleeveless jumper - will mention that to school, so thanks.

I do think any child should have the freedom of choice to decide if they are too hot - there isn't a reason for them to wear full uniform (unlike certain jobs). Often there isn't an alternative school for us renegades to send our children to either. This particular rule wasn't in print or highlighted anywhere when we chose the school, or I'd have asked about it then.

Y12 & 13 don't appear to have a code - flip flops are allowed (yet Y7-11 have to wear sturdy shoes to protect their feet on busy corridors - which I think is a sensible uniform rule). The skimpiest of tops, some see through with obvious bright bras, shorts so short that bum cheeks can be seen (sorry if TMI), skirts with slits so long you can see flashes of underwear etc.. I'm not a prude but I think if you can see up it, down it or through it then it isn't really acceptable for school

duchy

geri1965 wrote: »

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.

Perhaps it is in the attitude to "rules" in general ?
Some posters would regard a jumper deemed not appropriate and having earring confiscated as petty -you obviously didn't. One person's petty is another person's reasonable rule.

I worked at a school where it was blazers at all times until the head said so...and the rule applied to staff too. Females teachers got around it by wearing summer dresses whilst male teachers sweltered along with the kids in suit jackets.
The fact staff were also affected did seem to mean the rising temps were unlikely to get overlooked as the head was "reminded" by staff pointing out how warm it had become.

I've had jobs where the uniform was too hot for a summer's day -I can see the point in teaching kids that sometimes in the workplace there are rules that don't appear to make sense and how to approach challenging them in a reasonable way rather than getting into conflict or bleating about human rights

duchy

My son's school had no uniform at all

Interestingly it didn't turn into the fashion parade you might expect (it was co-ed) . Jeans and sweatshirts were worn without exception and no-one bothered about labels despite some of the kids certainly been able to afford them (it was private -not that I could afford it LEA paid on special needs grounds as my son couldn't deal with the large high school enviroment and this school had average class sizes of ten). Age range was 13 to 18.

The only rule was no offensive slogans on t-shirts - there didn't seem to be a need for "no boxers showing" or no over short skirts or no ridiculous heels etc rules -the kids dressed for comfort. It was rare to see the girls over made up too.

My feeling has always been school uniform stops the daftness of inappropriate dress we see on Baker days and in some no uniform sixth forms .....however my experience with my son's school has led me to question this. Was it the "smallness" of the classes that meant kids didn't feel the need to make themselves to stand out by dressing differently or was just the fact they had enough choice that extremes just made them look daft or not fit in ?

daisiegg

gardenia101 wrote: »

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....

I think 'no visible make up' means, no bright red lipstick or false eyelashes but if a girl has bad skin and has tried to cover up with concealer she won't be made to scrub it off! Seems pretty sensible to me.

We also have huge battles over skirt length. Skirts must touch the knee but the girls always roll their skirts up at the waist. As teachers we get told off if members of our form are seen with short skirts. It isn't so bad as a female teacher but I know my make colleagues feel VERY uncomfortable having to enforce this rule. As one of my colleagues said, 'I didn't know her skirt was too short because I do not look a teenaged girls' legs!'