… parents at the school in Sigdon Road have complained that the way the uniform policy is now being enforced is stressing out their children, some of whom have even been sent home for not meeting the required standards they claim.
Oh noes! Expecting children to abide by the rules! Calamity! The End Times are surely upon us!
Natalie Anderson, who claims her son is now afraid to go to school, says children are being penalised for their parents’ errors.
Well, don't make any then. You're the adult, aren't you?
“There are six teachers lined up along the gates inspecting uniform, including socks and they are lifting uniforms to identify if they’re correct, the tactics are similar to policing,” she said.
No they aren't. The police are too enlightened (
or frightened) to do that sort of thing.
“The tactics are misplaced in a primary school where children are still learning and adapting, they would be better suited to youths who need that kind of discipline and can take responsibility for themselves.”
I think the school is endeavouring to make sure that the little darlings start out right and don't
grow up into those sort of youths...
She continued: “Six year olds don’t want to worry if their uniforms are ironed or if it’s the right colour or if their socks are black or if they have two tones on their shoes.
“They’re trying to achieve something but they’re going about it in the wrong way and they are making people angry.”
And we wouldn't like you when you're angry?
I hear a lot of this - Memsahib being a teacher she gets it from those Parents who believe that their sole responsibility regarding their Child's education is to get them to the School gates somewhere around starting time.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many of them miss the point that starting the kids off with some form of instilled discipline gives them some idea of what they are at School for. The very same Parents who claim to be unable to afford a uniform are those who can always scrape enough together for the Sky package, crates of booze or a dose of modern chemistry ... strange innit?
I doubt that the local supermarkets will, should the children of these parents ever sully themselves with work, be so forgiving if the little darlings fail to meet their uniform code...
ReplyDeleteGoing way back - the late sixties and early seventies, uniform was expected and policed. I recall a craze for the blakey studs. Teachers would then line us up and inspect the soles of our shoes. I was mortified - mine had holes in them....
ReplyDeleteThe policy at this school seems reasonable enough, but I wonder what they mean by "lifting the uniform" Are the girls expected to have regulation knickers? And what does two-tone shoes mean?
"The very same Parents who claim to be unable to afford a uniform are those who can always scrape enough together for the Sky package, crates of booze or a dose of modern chemistry ... strange innit?"
ReplyDeleteA miracle of modern life on benefits, indeed.
"...if the little darlings fail to meet their uniform code..."
Well, quite! Precious little chance of that, though.
I can remember such an inspection back in 196 - a long time ago - when I was in secondary school.
ReplyDeleteWe all deliberately turned up in bright coloured socks and got sent home for a day off. Oddly the school never did it again so we went back to wearing the uniform properly.
On balance I probably turned out fairly OK even if I did, and still do, have a strong antiauthoritarian stance.
I would respect authority a lot more if they concentrated on things that actually mattered rather than petty reguations. Such school inspections are essentially just petty detail box-ticking exercises and exercises in power politics.
Why are they talking about discipline? It's about take care of one's appearance, and being taught how to dress properly.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Natalie wants to leave this until yoof. Fair enough. Withdraw Bratleigh and send him to a Montessori school.
ReplyDeleteSchool uniforms exist because the idea was to get all the little lads used to wearing uniforms ready for the day they would be needed for cannon fodder.
The six idiots would better spend their time teaching and state education needs to be abolished anyway. Then those who want a uniform for their kids can send them where a uniform is required and those who don't can send them elsewhere.
"...and got sent home for a day off. Oddly the school never did it again.."
ReplyDeleteHeh!
"Why are they talking about discipline? It's about take care of one's appearance, and being taught how to dress properly."
Because I suspect they see it that way. 'Dressing properly' is no doubt seen as an imposition on their 'uman rights, or something.
"...state education needs to be abolished anyway. Then those who want a uniform for their kids can send them where a uniform is required and those who don't can send them elsewhere. "
I could get used to that idea... ;)