100 Pupils Sent Home For Wearing Incorrect Shoes.

[anotheoldgit]

Is it any wonder some of our children are not used to discipline with parents such as this?

Regardless of the excuses of only being told by text the day before term started, these parents were actually informed of the 'uniform' policy by letter twice last term, as well as informing the pupils during assembly.

However I thought the caption under this picture rather amusing.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/03/1409752719688_wps_14_PIC_BY_SOFIA_BOUZIDI_CATE.jpg

*** Absolute cobblers: Angry mother Michelle Clark with son Ellian showing the text from the school ***

[bednobs]

well, there is also a point in having a degree of formality in schools. People shouldn't choose that school for their children, if they are not prepared to execute the dress code properly.

I can't see any difference whatsoever.

[bednobs]

ps i was thinking of that harry potter story when i wrote my reply :)

[kvalidir]

I actually do agree that if you go somewhere and there's a rule you ought to for the most part stick to it, I just don't agree with the rule being there in the first place.
Are there many non uniform schools in the UK, except things like Steiner Schools though? Do parents actually have a choice of a uniform school or a non uniform school?

[ludwig]

// I just don't agree with the rule being there in the first place. //

Why? What harm do you think it might be doing?

[ummmm]

There are some primary school where they have a choice. They have a uniform but they are also allowed to wear their own clothes. Most children as far as I can see chose (or their parents do) to wear the uniform.

Like I said, uniforms are practical.

[bednobs]

well if they don't want to conform to the uniform policy, they always have the choice to home educate i suppose :)

[Prudie]

I always had to wear a uniform and so did my daughter. I don't believe in the main it is viewed as a means of enforcing discipline but rather, as has been said, a sense of belonging and community, eliminated any oneupmanship in clothes and to a certain degree respect for one's school and how one behaves when wearing it in public. As we got older it was also a good way to test the waters of defiance - shortening our skirts and forgetting our berets for example.

[gness]

Prudie....shortening our skirts always meant a spare tyre around the middle didn't it?.....☺

[grasscarp]

No anotheold git. They were actually sent home. Apparently they contacted the parents to say they were doing so.
What a waste of time to contact 100 parents this way. Leave the child to do their school work, and send a note home to the parents that they have the "wrong" shoes would be much more sensible.

[kvalidir]

Ludwig- I think we should be breeding less 'sheeple' and teaching children to follow rules for the sake of them being there is in some small way doing exactly that imho. I seem to be in the minority here I appreciate, but it's my honest considered opinion.

[Mamyalynne]

I have no overall problem with School uniform , but as I said it is the intractability sometimes that drove me mad ( as well as the cost), even to the point of what colour hair grips they could wear.

And shoes - arghhh, still haunted by the tears in Dolcis etc. each summer.

[bednobs]

well as we have established, i don't agree KVal - if i were to say to my employer "i'm sorry this uniform is hideous and im not wearing it because i'm not a sheep and refuse to conform for the sake of it" i'd soon be out on my ear i reckon. One of the points of school is to prepare people for work i think, and being told the standard of dress that's acceptable, then following itis good practice for most jobs

[kvalidir]

Exactly bednobs, which is why I imagine none of my family work for other people ( barring one brother who is a chef) because we hold opinions incompatible with working in an environment where the scenario you describe is likely to happen. Horses for courses as they say, if you are happy with that more power to you, but I would not be. I don't think one of us is right and the other wrong it's just a matter of personal opinion and choice about what's right for us and our families.

[ludwig]

// Ludwig- I think we should be breeding less 'sheeple' //

Fair enough. Personally I think we should be breeding fewer overindulged and spoilt whingers. Seriously - the excessive number of those is a far bigger problem than the number of sheeple wandering around. In my experience the sheeple are nice people who cause no trouble.

[kvalidir]

Okay but when the *** hits the fan do you want a herd of sheeple at your back or someone who'll stand up and be counted? I know which I'd prefer, and it's not the people who meekly run off at the first sign of trouble because that's what they have been indoctrinated to do.

[bednobs]

but the vast majority of children will NOT end up working for themselves. Perhaps your family are extraordinary, but most people are just ordianry.

[kvalidir]

Most people shouldn't just be ordinary though, what a terrible sentence to give a child- all children are extraordinary- and schools should build on that not petty about whinging about shoes.

[Prudie]

kval for the vast majority of society not having to work for other people is not an option. You are lucky that you and your family have the means of self support that enables you to stick to your opinions.

[bednobs]

and lol i think that might be bit of an extreme argument school uniform = conformity having independent thought and action does not exclude following dress codes when appropriate
you can still have independent thoughts and actions.
Evenb in your top career choice, are you going to say "play lizzie bennet? i'd love to but only if i can wear jeans"

[anotheoldgit]

/// I deal regularly with all sorts of officialdom and am likely to do so throughout my life ( first choice profession is acting, second choice a Barrister) ///

And I suppose your first chose of role would be Beatrice in 'Much ado about nothing'.

But if you took up your second choice, Barrister, would you then rebel against the wearing of the wig and gown?