Children are annoying

There used to be a school exchange shop in Edinburgh as long ago as the 70's where you could obtain second hand uniforms and sports kits for the Edinburgh schools. My mother relied on it for blazers for my brothers.

I don't see how turning up a collar shows disrespect or affects learning. DD2 was mature and sensible. She understood there was a time to conform and a time to express herself. She challenged what she felt was a ridiculous rule. A turned up collar could get her put into isolation when the school was falling apart due to bullying which they insisted wasn't happening. Most teachers described her as a pleasure to have in their lessons because she would challenge them in a reasoned manner and make them think about what they were teaching. They enjoyed the to and fro of debate.

She had a very successful work experience. The company commented on her mature attitude, willingness to learn, time keeping etc and imo importantly she was complimented on her ability to use her own initiative.

If we train our children to conform mindlessly then we risk weakening their ability to think for themselves.

A friend once had an interview to do teacher training. It seemed to go well but he was not successful.
On asking for feedback, he was told 'You think for yourself too much'.
That you explains a lot

that explains a lot.

It certainly does. The public system does not educate children to think and question anymore although the private system still seems to. Call me a conspiracy theorist but seems we'll have a small elite who can think for themselves and a majority of order following automatons.

Brave new world is on it's way.

I've always thought that one of the main purposes of school uniform was to encourage creativity in the way it is adapted. I don't know if anyone remembers the fashion for long wooly bloomers in the early 60's. These looked quite "remarkable" when paired with aschool skirt turned over at the top half a dozen times. I was behind a long, but ultimately unsuccessful, campaign to be allowed to wear black stockings to school and was one of the subversive crew who used to colour their hair.

It became fashionable in the 1970s to have a different colour streak put in the front of your hair. I had brown hair and a natural very blonde streak (now it's a grey streak). Changing your hair colour was banned by the school and I was constantly in trouble even though I couldn't do a thing about it.

I had some of my most humiliating clothes moments at school. The PE teachers would do knicker and bra checks (you had to wear big knickers and plain unwired bras) and skirt length checks when you had to kneel on the floor. If your skirt didn't touch the floor you were in serious trouble.

They don't seem to want any form of natural creativity these days, Deedaa. Even 'creative' subjects are tested to the nth degree. Surely we should give children the time to learn/do something just for the sheer enjoyment discovering something or creating something.