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Willow-Tree

Sent Home On The First Day Of School

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Hello.

 

A couple of months ago, in the last term of the last school year, before the summer holidays, I got sent home for wearing a plain black jumper. Just to give you a bit of background, I have been officially diagnosed as having Autistic Spectrum Disorder and also dyspraxia, but it has been noted in writing that I am more Asperger's than Autism. I attend a Secondary School two years out of age range, so that I can get my GCSE's, after leaving school early because of being bullied. I cannot wear the official school jumper as it is a disgusting material that completely freaks me out to touch, and it is a round neck, which makes me feel like I am being choked, and so the whole thing is just generally unpleasant. So, my head of year agreed that I could wear a plain black jumper instead. Problem solved. Well, no it wasn't, because toward the end of June a Deputy Head asked me to take my black jumper off, and I said that I couldn't because the top underneath (the official school polo shirt) was baggy and that it irritated me, but with the jumper on top it made it tight, so I could deal with it. And she persisted to ask me to remove it, despite me saying I couldn't, not that I wouldn't. And anyway, long story short, she ended up ringing my Mum and sending me home, but not before my anxiety and stress levels reached maximum and I had the worst panic attack of my life, but she still sent me home, and I collasped/fell over outside near the main road, so had to go back into school and get first aid to help calm my breathing. After that episode, we thought they might understand and let me wear my jumper. But...no. They said I could wear it until I got a doctors note for it, or until I found a burgundy one. It's not easy to find a burgundy jumper, nevermind about one in the right style/material, so I got an appointment with a psychiatrist and he wrote to my school saying that my anxieties with the uniform, inparticular the jumper, were understandable given my diagnosis.

 

So I went back to school today, with my letter and my black jumper, happy and comfortable with the situation and for the first time in a long time, not nervous about school. But, as soon as I walked through the gates I was met by the new headteacher, my head of year and a few other heads of years. All greeting people, etc. And my head of year called me over and told me I had to go home because of my jumper. I was expecting this, so I had my letter in hand, but he said it wasn't good enough, and that now my trousers too are unexceptable. (They are a jean like style, but are completely black in colour and are made from cotton, not denim. I cannot wear polyester or any of the other material that smart trousers are made from as it sends me insane). He told me to phone Mum and go home. So I went to the office, and they told me to speak to a Deputy Head (not the one from before) and she told me the same, that the letter didn't mean that they could make an exception and that it would be a major problem for me. And so I walked home in tears.

 

My Mum was furious, and I rang my Dad and he was equally mad at the situation, so me and my Mum marched down to the solicitors and got seen straight away and everything was written down, and an email has already been sent to my school, and the hard copy (letter) will be posted to them (and me) tomorrow.

 

I will let you know how it goes. I can't attend school until I agree to wear a jumper they find suitable (or until I make them let me wear my black one). The problem is, they let me wear it for so long that it is now part of my school routine, and my comfort zone. I fought really hard to get into this school because of my age, and the situation being so unusual, I'm not going to give up fighting now!

 

Sorry about the length of this rant...

 

Willow

Edited by Willow-Tree

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Oh poor you :(

 

Sometimes I think the world is going insane :blink:

 

I am so, so lucky that my son's school are really understanding - I just wish it was the same for everyone.

 

I hope you get it all sorted soon >:D<<'>

 

 

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It sounds like they are deliberately setting up obstacles and moving the goalposts. Having worn this uniform for so long without a problem, it seems crazy they should suddenly say it's not OK any more.

 

I hope the solicitor will quickly let you know where you stand and help you find a workable solution.

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And anyway, long story short, she ended up ringing my Mum and sending me home, but not before my anxiety and stress levels reached maximum and I had the worst panic attack of my life, but she still sent me home, and I collasped/fell over outside near the main road, so had to go back into school and get first aid to help calm my breathing. After that episode, we thought they might understand and let me wear my jumper. But...no. They said I could wear it until I got a doctors note for it, or until I found a burgundy one. It's not easy to find a burgundy jumper, nevermind about one in the right style/material, so I got an appointment with a psychiatrist and he wrote to my school saying that my anxieties with the uniform, inparticular the jumper, were understandable given my diagnosis.

 

This is terrible, they should have understood your needs, you were obviously in a bad way yet they could still not see straight to address your needs. Sorry you had to suffer like this!

 

But, as soon as I walked through the gates I was met by the new headteacher, my head of year and a few other heads of years. All greeting people, etc. And my head of year called me over and told me I had to go home because of my jumper. I was expecting this, so I had my letter in hand, but he said it wasn't good enough.......... And so I walked home in tears.

 

This is even worse even after having a letter from your doctor you were targeted by many staff and made to return home, my ds1's school has changed into an academy and they have various rules that say that any child not in full school uniform will be sent home immediately. I would hope that they would make allowances for someone with a disability as my son will soon be diagnosed with Asd i think, but now i am worrying that they may not make any allowances. I will need to speak to them about their policy for special needs if and when he gets a dx.

 

My Mum was furious, and I rang my Dad and he was equally mad at the situation, so me and my Mum marched down to the solicitors and got seen straight away and everything was written down, and an email has already been sent to my school, and the hard copy (letter) will be posted to them (and me) tomorrow.

 

 

I am glad you are doing something about it, i hope it makes them rethink what they did to you and apologise and allow you to wear what is comfortable for you. hope it all goes well. let us know

 

Maria x :)

 

 

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You should be protected under the DDA, which specifies that anyone offering a service (ie a school) MUST make any and all reasonable adjustments too allow a disabled person* to acecss that service. I am sure that is what the solicitor would have said in thier letter, and the school will be facing criminal prosecution if they do not comply, or come up with a damn good reason as to why they can not comply! You would also get to sue the pants of the LA/head teacher :rolleyes:

 

With any luck it will all be sorted out by tomorrow, or however long they take to get their own legal advice.....

 

 

 

*disability = any permenant/ongoing condition that affects your day to day life. ASD counts!

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You would also get to sue the pants of the LA/head teacher :rolleyes:

 

We had a new headteacher, it was his first official day today. Would be awesome to cause him that much trouble in his first week. It's because of him that the new rules are stricter.

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This kind of thing makes me furious! If they don't like the clothes you wear they should provide alternatives made of a suitable material. You should have told them it was part of your religion, they wouldn't dared to have sent you home then.

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You should have told them it was part of your religion, they wouldn't dared to have sent you home then.

My Mum said that! And the solicitor said something similar (making a joke out of the situation). Because it's so ridiculous. :(

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You should have told them it was part of your religion, they wouldn't dared to have sent you home then.

 

Excellent point :clap:

 

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The Disability Rights commission took a case about a child being forced to wear the wrong kind of trousers and won

I'm hoping that I can get it sorted through my solicitor. I'm hoping that when the school get a letter land on their desk from a solictor that they might just back down...maybe. Finger's crossed.

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actually, i am not against strict uniform rules - it DOES make life easier for parents & kids, as well as (if strictly enforced) stopping some bullying. However, like all rules, they have to be seen within the circumstances of the individual - that is what the DDA is for. If you had no arms, would he insist on you wearing long sleeves because that was the uniform? It's just stupid and does not show him as a very effective head teacher I am afraid......

 

Re: clothes & religion - cases have been won both ways - it depends on the situation:)

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Let us know how you get on, Willow. I hope this can be sorted out with the minimum of fuss so that you can get on with your education.

 

K x

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I really do sympathise with you. >:D<<'> My lad would have terrible problems too, but we're so lucky that his school doesn't have a uniform at all, otherwise he would really struggle. A new head has started this year and there are whispers of him introducing a uniform, but hopefully my DS will have left by the time any such decision is made. :pray: Every September I thank my lucky stars that we're not having to run round trying to find suitable uniform items and that he can just go off in his usual jeans and tee-shirt and trainers that he's been wearing all summer. It's hard enough buying clothes for him anyway, without having to find a uniform he'd accept and he has a button phobia and hasn't worn a shirt or polo shirt for over ten years, it would be a nightmare (*quivers at thought*).

Good luck, hope a compromise can be reached that you can all live with. >:D<<'>

 

~ Mel ~

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Hiya,

 

I got the letter from my solicitor yesterday, which means the school will have recieved their copy yesterday and so should be repyling to me/the solicitors in some way today. We have still heard nothing from them, and they should have contacted my Mum to tell her why I was sent home, what she can do about it, when I can go back etc. So, I'm not pleased with it at all, because I have checked with my friend and I have missed all the introducations to the course for year 11 at school. And I've missed being informed about all the upcoming exams, etc. Basically, everything that would have given me some sort of stability. So, now when I go back, everyone will be 'in the know' except for me, which I hate.

 

From Willow

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Hi

 

I can see why you're anxious about having missed your induction as a result of the school creating an unnecessary fuss over your jumper. Firstly, the school should made reasonable adjustments to accommodate you given your disorder (sensory). Perhaps the solicitor's letter will make it clear to the school, just that and make them rethink their approach. Hopefully, things will go much better.

 

Regards

 

Caroline

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not criticising you but have you tried to find a maroon jumper that is suitable in shops/online etc? jumpers are fashionable at the moment so the choice should be wider than normal. i can understand that the school shouldn't force you to wear something that is that uncomfortable but perhaps you could try to meet them part-way and then they'll be more amenable to letting you have different trousers, for example. new head always means new rules so it will take time for thinks to shake down.

 

good luck

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not criticising you but have you tried to find a maroon jumper that is suitable in shops/online etc? jumpers are fashionable at the moment so the choice should be wider than normal. i can understand that the school shouldn't force you to wear something that is that uncomfortable but perhaps you could try to meet them part-way and then they'll be more amenable to letting you have different trousers, for example. new head always means new rules so it will take time for thinks to shake down.

 

good luck

 

Yeah we looked for the entire summer holidays for a jumper and it's just not happening. For some strange reason, we couldn't find one at all, never mind about in the right style/material. And besides, they said to either get a burgundy jumper or to get a note for my black one from a doctor or psychiatrist, explaining why I couldn't wear the normal one, which I did and they still sent me home so...

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Hiya, the school have replied to my solicitor, they are sticking by what they've said about the school jumper having to be burgundy. So my solicitor is emailing back trying to exaplain EXACTLY why that is going to be a problem. But he has also taken note of the materials that go into my black jumper, to see if he can contact anyone that will be willing to specially make one for me. Even if we get one, I know I will still find it difficult. But, what am I supposed to do?

 

Willow

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what materials is it made of? and fit/style? i have a similar problem with tshirts so i know some good places to look!

 

Hiya, it's 85% viscose and 15% polyamide

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dorothy perkins are selling a burgundy v neck 80% viscose 20% polyamide (nylon), could be just the thing!

 

ETA: i dont know what size you want, they are out of stock in some online, but i'm sure if you emailed the company and explained they would find a store with it in stock

Edited by NobbyNobbs

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Willow I just want to say how sorry I am top hear how you have treated. Especially as they told you what to do i.e. get a doctors letter, and then when you did this it wasn't good enough. I hope your solicitor is a good one as your school are discriminating. I also hope that when they let you back to school they will take you aside on the very first day to fill you in with all the info you have now missed out on. I am thinking of you, let us know when it is sported out.

Mummy x

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dorothy perkins are selling a burgundy v neck 80% viscose 20% polyamide (nylon), could be just the thing!

 

ETA: i dont know what size you want, they are out of stock in some online, but i'm sure if you emailed the company and explained they would find a store with it in stock

 

Hiya, thank you for looking for me, I'm not sure it's the right colour though, and I've wasted a lot of money on wrong jumpers! I'll see where I get with the solicitor and then make a desicion. Thank you for the support though :)

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what happens if each day keep on attending in the inappropriate jumper and get turned away, and then do same thing again next day, and the next and next for months on end, to show resistance to tyranny, until one side relents.

 

would they object to a person with no arms wearing a t-shirt instead of a jumper and turn them away each day, they must wear jumper, must wear jumper, or if they wore poncho instead to wrap themselves in, each day does that person get turned away they attend not wearing jumper.

 

what is the legal definaition of wearing, can it be argued in some manner if your in poession of the correct said jumper are deemed to be wearing it. like if touch it if it is lying on table once every hour to satisy there demands or place the sleeve against your arm every demanded time period.

 

cant you provide 3d style cinema glasses with the correct colour filters in, anyone in your presence is forced to wear these glasses with the correct colour filter so that to them the jumper is now perceived to be the correct colour. It would be them comitting the offence by not adhering to wearing the colured filter glasses to ensure the jumper was perceievd in there brain to be the correct colour.

correctly colured filter contact lenses with the colured filter could also be used same effect as the glasses.

 

what is colour?? is it only the filters and rods in our eyes giving it colour, . does colour really exist....give the article of clothing to a blind person is not colour, give the clothing to a person with only 1 rod of colour filters in eyes and it is that colour,

 

i was ejected from art classes becos i colured people green every time, that was the colur i percievd them to be so i painted and colured them green. I would not use there colur pink, becos people were green to me due to undiaganosed colur blindness at time. I keep painting green, green green each time. I would not change. I would be sent to the corner to stand until i agreed to use pink. i would not use pink ever. everytime this repeated. i

 

would they prevent a person wearing a hearing aid, would they prevent a person wearing glasses so can see, would they prevent a person taking medication so can function becos is not school uniform,

Edited by jon79

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what happens if each day keep on attending in the inappropriate jumper and get turned away, and then do same thing again next day, and the next and next for months on end, to show resistance to tyranny, until one side relents.

 

would they object to a person with no arms wearing a t-shirt instead of a jumper and turn them away each day, they must wear jumper, must wear jumper, or if they wore poncho instead to wrap themselves in, each day does that person get turned away they attend not wearing jumper.

its not tyranny, its a school dress code which is one of the basic fundamentals of most schools including special needs schols

 

they're not saying someone with no arms can't wear appropriate clothing, they're saying she needs to get a jumper (which she has already said she already wears in a different colour) in the right colour which are completely different things.

 

most of what you list is completely irrelevant, they're not stopping her using a medical aid (hearing aid, glasses) they are saying that she needs to adhere to at least the basics of the school dress code and find a jumper in the right colour.

 

personally i just accepted that everyone wore the uniform and i needed to put up with it if i wanted to have an education (and don't think i dont have the same problems with fabrics), but i understand other people view things differently.

 

Willow-Tree. perhaps you could take the details of some jumpers in the right fabric to the school and give them a choice. they would see you are willing to compromise, and that your options are limited and then its up to them to choose one of your options of find another one.

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they are saying that she needs to adhere to at least the basics of the school dress code and find a jumper in the right colour.

 

personally i just accepted that everyone wore the uniform and i needed to put up with it if i wanted to have an education

 

Willow-Tree. perhaps you could take the details of some jumpers in the right fabric to the school and give them a choice. they would see you are willing to compromise, and that your options are limited and then its up to them to choose one of your options of find another one.

 

I am 17 and I am voluntarily back at school, so I don't think they should be enforcing the same rules on me as they do everyone of mandatory school age. If I get through school I would give them A* and A grades, which would look good for them. I am basically a sixth former who is attending GCSE classes. I don't attend RE or PE because I don't need them and I have issues with them, and they allow me to miss those, which is something they wouldn't do for the rest of my year. So they are being extremely pedantic about a jumper. If they can bend the rules about one thing and not another. And if they can let me wear the jumper for a year without hassling me, but now cause such a fuss? It's not that I don't see their point, it's the way they have chosen to go about dealing with it.

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firstly they dont have to let you do the GCSEs so taking the attitude of 'i can do what i like' isn't very helpful, both to yourself and any other students who might need to do the same in future years as it will make the school think twice before accepting them, and if you're in a GCSE classroom taking GCSEs then you will be held to to the rules for GCSE students irrespective of your age. 6th form have different rules regarding dress codes because they are a different sector of education (further education or higher, can't remember which way round they go) even if they are in the same institution. the jumper rule has (presumably) changed because you have a new headteacher and they have the right to change/review any rule they choose within the boundaries of the law.

 

you dont attend RE and PE because there is no law saying you have to have the education they are giving you, and therefore they are not obliged to stick to the national curriculum. if it were me i'd be slightly worried that they will suggest if you are unable to abide by their rules then perhaps you are not suited to being there at all.

 

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I don't understand the problem. The school won't have you back until you agree to wear a burgundy jumper, someone has suggested a burgundy jumper which would suit your needs, and you are not willing to entertain it. The school are willing to be flexible and allow you to take your GCSEs. I think if you want them to compromise on the regulation jumper you need to compromise from your end as well and at least wear one in the right colour.

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I don't understand the problem. The school won't have you back until you agree to wear a burgundy jumper, someone has suggested a burgundy jumper which would suit your needs, and you are not willing to entertain it. The school are willing to be flexible and allow you to take your GCSEs. I think if you want them to compromise on the regulation jumper you need to compromise from your end as well and at least wear one in the right colour.

 

I'm sorry, the solicitor suggested that I should be treated as a sixth former taking GCSE's lessons, I should have made that more clear. The solicitor also said that if the school are willing to bend some rules and not others, or bend rules for a year (letting me wear the jumper for a year) and then changing their minds, it's all a bit confusing as to WHY they keep changing their minds. Yes I looked at the burgundy jumper that was suggested but it's not the right colour, and I know how picky the school have been about colour so far as I now have two jumpers that aren't acceptable to them, which is wasted money for me. They have said they will get me one specially made, but have not said if it will be in a material I can wear, so that again would be wasted time and money. I have tried everything to get a jumper that they will find acceptable. I didn't mean to sound like I was taking the 'I can do whatever I want' attitude, I just meant that, when I came back to this school they said obvioulsly I would be treated the same, but that they would try their best to help me through the difficulties I might come across, having being bullied out of two schools and having had a nervous breakdown and at one point being diagnosed as having a phobia of school. So obviously it was going to be difficult for me, and I've had a lot of panic attacks about a lot of things, and they haven't been very supportive, the jumper is one thing in a long line of things that have gone wrong in the year that I have been there. I've tried to go to school in just the polo shirt, or an almost burgundy jumper but have panicked and had to stay home. I thought that people here would have understood about routine and issues with fabrics etc. It's that I've worn the black one for so long that I'm so used to it and I find it very difficult to go to school without wearing it. I'm sorry to have bothered you, and sorry if I sounded pathetic or spoilt or whatever, it wasn't my intention. I'm just going through a hard time, and I realise how stupid my fear of being at school without a certain jumper is, but I've tried to compromise with the school, like I have with a lot of things and it's just not working.

 

Many thanks,

 

Willow.

 

And also, as I said, it's not that I don't see the school's point, I do. But they haven't gone about dealing with it very professionally. I don't even get the same punishement as everyone else. Which is another area they treat me differently. They send me home, they put everyone else in isolcation for the day. And, they let me go without phoning my Mum, because I'm 17, when last year, they said that I'm their responsibility and would have to notify my Mum, so they keep changing the rules. And when I'm in a panicky state I'm not safe to be out alone as traffic noise overwhelms me and I go into meltdown, and the school know this, and still they let me walk home alone in tears.

Edited by Willow-Tree

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I think the point is not which colour of jumper you should be wearing, but that the school made accommodations for you last year, and now they appear to have changed their minds with no warning or opportunity for negotiation, so they are in the wrong in that respect. Presumably this was an informal agreement which was never confirmed in writing.

 

I'm not familiar with the 6th form arrangements at school these days, but common sense suggests that the school should treat you according to your age, rather than your level of study, especially as you are legally considered to be an adult in many respects.

 

K x

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Personally I think they should let you wear the jumper you want, as long as it's smart etc. It's such a trivial matter for them to effectively exclude you over, and clearly very important to you. My son (nearly 16) has real difficulty too with the feel of fabrics and certain colours (he can not bring himself to wear blue and all fabrics have to be soft); I think I'd be really annoyed if he was effectively denied an education over a jumper!! He only just scrapes by wearing an 'approximation' of the uniform his school have. He won't wear their jumper at all because not only is it blue, but it's got long sleeves and he has to put it over his head (if it's long sleeved he'll only wear it if it is a zippy jacket type thing). In winter the school compromise by allowing him to wear a neutral coloured zippy up fleece if he's cold (worn over the school polo shirt). It's very unimportant especially in light of what's at stake if the school were to dig their toes in.

 

Hope you get some where soon and that the school take a more reasonable approach. As long as what you wear is clean and smart and you're polite about it, I can't see why they are making a big thing of it.

 

flora :)

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My youngest daughter found that the regulation burgundy school jumper with embroidered badge gave her eczema on her arms and around her wrists. The school has let her wear a plain black cardigan instead.

 

If you can I think it's a good idea to avoid solicitors letters and so on, as I think this might inflame what is really a very simple matter?

 

Bid :)

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what the solicitor suggests is irrelevant to the schools rules. you're not a 6th former just because you're 17, you're a 6th former because you take A levels. a 10 year old in year 7 because they are gifted doesn't wear a primary school uniform because age-wise thats where they should be.

and they most likely haven't just changed the rulels to spite you, its just a new head who can do what he likes with his school. we had one in yr 10 at my school and suddenly we had a set style of skirt to be worn and weren't allowed to take our blazers off inside.

 

if you're really against uniform why don't you go to a local college and do your GCSEs there? then there is no uniform to worry about.

Edited by NobbyNobbs

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what the solicitor suggests is irrelevant to the schools rules. you're not a 6th former just because you're 17, you're a 6th former because you take A levels. a 10 year old in year 7 because they are gifted doesn't wear a primary school uniform because age-wise thats where they should be.

and they most likely haven't just changed the rulels to spite you, its just a new head who can do what he likes with his school. we had one in yr 10 at my school and suddenly we had a set style of skirt to be worn and weren't allowed to take our blazers off inside.

 

if you're really against uniform why don't you go to a local college and do your GCSEs there? then there is no uniform to worry about.

 

I think you're being rather harsh there, NobbyNobbs. My lad is nearly 16 and there is no way he could 'just go' to a local college, there are many reasons why he couldn't cope with this and we don't know enough about this young lady to just expect her to 'go' to the local college and cope. As I've said, we're really lucky that my lad's school doesn't have a uniform, I'm not aware of any other schools in our county that doesn't actually, so we're very unusual. We've just had a new head start this year and if he were to suddenly introduce a uniform (which he has discussed doing) then we'd be in trouble too because of the problems this would cause my lad. He couldn't just leave and go to the local college, it would be impossible for many reasons so I think it is a rather glib comment to make to this young lady that she could just 'go to a local college', it's just not as simple as you make it sound is it. :unsure:

 

~ Mel ~

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Kathryn - Thank you for your understanding, it is much appreciated. >:D<<'> The agreement was never confirmed in writing - no, unfortunately. :(

 

Flora - I've had teachers comment on how smart I look and I've always explained why I wear a different jumper and no one has ever had an issue with it, not even students, until just before the summer holidays, when the deputy heads started kicking up a fuss.

 

Bid - The school also have an issue with my trousers as I have to wear cotton because I suffer from eczema on my legs. But the only pair I can find in a suitable style and the right leg length apparently look like jeans to the school (depsite being pure black). We tried to resolve the issues for some months without solicitors, and for a while we were told that the black jumper was fine. But when it was evident that they were going to make it difficult in such an important year we felt we didn't have much choice. As when we last spoke to them about the issue before the summer, they told us how to resolve the issue (get a burgundy jumper OR a doctors note explaining exactly why I need a different jumper, which I went to my psychiatrist for) they still weren't happy, so we felt we didn't have much choice but to contact a solicitor. We are not very confrontational people and so we didn't know how to resolve the issue, having tried and tried before to do so.

 

NobbyNobbs - I'm not against the uniform in a 'rebel' kind of way. I appreciate that they want their students to look smart, and after all, when I first brought the jumper issues up, I was told to wear a black jumper instead. So I did. I can't just 'go to a local college' because I would have to travel alone on the train and then walk alone to the college and I am by no means confident enough to do that, and sometimes not even safe to. And by the time I could start (next September) I would be entering inot the same year that I should be in and as I have been in both my local schools in my correct year and been bullied extensively, I would feel uncomfortable ending up in the same building with them all over again.

 

Oxgirl - Thank you for your support, as I said in response to NobbyNobbs, there are reasons why I can't just 'go to college'. >:D<<'>

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I can't see where anyone's suggested it would be easy for you to go to a different college, just that it looks like the only solution if you are not willing to wear the uniform.

 

I still can't understand why the only comfortable jumpers are black, when most uniform suppliers sell exactly the same product in a variety of colours.

 

Have you considered wearing a vest (or two) under your shirt so that you don't need the jumper for warmth?

 

If you search Google for "black cotton trousers" you will find a wide variety of products that should be suitable. You could alternatively wear a skirt with cotton leggins.

Edited by Tally

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I can't see where anyone's suggested it would be easy for you to go to a different college, just that it looks like the only solution if you are not willing to wear the uniform.

 

I still can't understand why the only comfortable jumpers are black, when most uniform suppliers sell exactly the same product in a variety of colours.

 

Have you considered wearing a vest (or two) under your shirt so that you don't need the jumper for warmth?

 

If you search Google for "black cotton trousers" you will find a wide variety of products that should be suitable. You could alternatively wear a skirt with cotton leggins.

 

Nobody did say it would be easy, I was just saying why it isn't really an option for me right now, unfortunately. We did consider it last year instead of school, but travel would be costly, and I'm not very confident outside alone, and I would have had to have travelled alone.

 

It's not that I can only wear black, it's just that I can't wear burgundy. Obviously if one came up that was the right colour and the school were happy with it, and it was the right material so that I was happy with it, then I'd give it a go. But, all uniform suppliers that I have checked don't make jumpers out of a material that I can deal with.

 

The vest idea would be useful for winter if nothing else is solved yes, I've just had the polo shirts professionally fitted so it would be a struggle to get anything under it! (lol) But yes, that might be the only way to go. I did attempt to go yesterday with just the polo shirt but I had a panic attack for one reason or another, so didn't make it.

 

I've looked on google for black cotton trousers, unfortunately, the school don't allow any linen type material or any denim type material, and other than that I've found it very difficult to locate a suitable pair, as I have had a few in the past that apparently aren't allowed. My inside leg is 34" (33" at a push) and most lines of clothing don't go up to that leg length. I'll check, but it doesn't say in our planner that we are allowed a skirt, and I have never seen anybody in one, so my guess is that it's not allowed.

 

Thank you for the ideas though, I'll give the vest thing a go, and look into the skirt thing, but I keep having panic attacks so I've not actually made it to school yet to see if they're okay with it. I'm also not well at the moment as I have practically stopped eating and sleeping, so Mum's a bit worried. :(

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I think it is a rather glib comment to make to this young lady that she could just 'go to a local college', it's just not as simple as you make it sound is it. :unsure:

i did it. i also never suggested anywhere that it would be simple. only that it was the only clear alternative to refusal to abide by the schools rules ie move somewhere where the rules are different.

 

private school uniform suppliers have clothes in a wide variety of fabrics and colours including 100% wool, 100% cotton, blends etc. i find it hard to believe that every item of clothes you own is 85% viscose 15% polyamide. perhaps start looking at other fabrics you know you can wear. likewise with the trousers.

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