Vent - Sexism within schools - Boys & Earrings

paulofessex

14yr old DS comes home today from school and again was told by a teacher to remove his earring, this being a simple 'stud'. Would understand it if was due to PE etc, but no, BOYS are NOT allowed to wear earrings, whilst girls can wear sleepers and longer earrings, not to mention nose, lip and tongue rings.

I have always found this to be a form of sexism, l recall having the same issue when l was at school.

We are not the type of parents who go screaming and shouting to the school, instead we are more than happy to back our son up should he decide to challenge the teachers request (which he doesn't) and they call us. We have advised him that he should stand up for himself IF HE feels the same as us, he could even approach the Student Voice they have in place so he hopefully has other students who feel the same behind him, but as yet he has chosen just to comply.

Vent over.

JReacher1

I don't think girls are allowed to wear tongue, nose or lip rings at school. Obviously depends on the schools policy but I think most ban it.

There's always different rules for different sexes. At work men have to wear a shirt and tie while the women get away with wearing pretty much anything!

Storck

Surely you knew these rules when you applied for the school. If you did not agree with it why send your child there?

paulofessex

Storck wrote: »

Surely you knew these rules when you applied for the school. If you did not agree with it why send your child there?

Understand where your coming from, we chose the school due to its academic reputation and achievements etc, and yes you're correct we read uniform rules but although we disagreed with this particular issue we certainly wouldn't choose not to send our child there just because of that. By not sending him means we would not be choosing what was best for him and would have been thinking more about our own issue with it.

That is why we are not the type to go banging on the heads door as it were. Surely you don't grudge me having a vent about it do you?

Storck

Nope I don't but you offered to back your son if he wanted to go against it which again fair enough but I hope you would also back the school for enforcing rules which you have voluntarily agreed to.

mumps

I think it is sexist and don't see how they can justify it. I didn't let any of mine have their ears pierced till 18 but I do object to sexism so if it is OK for girls why not boys? When my DD was at school the girls challeneged a no trousers for girls rule and won. I don't think the boys ever asked to wear skirts but if they wanted to why not?

Storck

mumps wrote: »

I think it is sexist and don't see how they can justify it. I didn't let any of mine have their ears pierced till 18 but I do object to sexism so if it is OK for girls why not boys? When my DD was at school the girls challeneged a no trousers for girls rule and won. I don't think the boys ever asked to wear skirts but if they wanted to why not?

A lot of schools have gone the whole hog now and Simpley banned skirts totally.

Hermione_Granger

mumps wrote: »

but I do object to sexism so if it is OK for girls why not boys?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFBOQzSk14c

Chickabiddybex

I agree with OP and sure you might send your children to a school knowing the rules before hand but I don't see any problem trying to get them to make changes to them if you think it might improve things.

k12479

Maybe, the purpose of these kinds of things is to instill some level of discipline so that the kids stand some chance of becoming employable one day. Earrings on men are inappropriate in many workplaces, as are having Nike swooshes carved into your hair. If people don't learn these basics in school, they probably never will.

George_Michael

k12479 wrote: »

Earrings on men are inappropriate in many workplaces, as are having Nike swooshes carved into your hair.

Earrings on anyone irrespective of their gender are unappropriate in many workplaces, and in some occupations (such as nursing) where a fairly large majority of employees are female, earrings are prohibited by many employers.
Don't you think that if boys shouldn't be allowed to were earrings because they might not be suitable for their future employment, then it's reasonable that the same restrictions should be placed on the girls as well?