Anger at Queen Elizabeth Community College action over Joshua's trainers
THE father of a boy who was taken out of class on his second day of school because his footwear did not conform to uniform policy has spoken of his shock.
Adrian Downing said he was appalled 11-year-old Joshua was isolated from his classmates at Queen Elizabeth's Community College in Crediton because he was wearing black trainers.
They are not permitted under the school's new uniform policy.
Mr Downing, 37, an IT specialist and photographer, said: "I cannot believe they isolated him, in effect punishing him, on his second day for an oversight on our part. We buy his shoes, not Joshua, and we should be the ones spoken to."
He said Joshua was a happy but timid boy who does not have a lot of self-confidence.
"Moving from a small community school like Copplestone to such a large one like QECC can be a daunting process for anyone," said Mr Downing. "That is why I am shocked and appalled at the actions of the staff at QECC."
Mr Downing, from Copplestone, received a phone call informing him Joshua had been removed from his lesson, followed by a letter. He said: "It angered me beyond belief because I knew it was going to have a huge psychological impact on him.
"We now face the task of attempting to rebuild his confidence and encouraging him to go to the school he was initially quite excited about going to, if not a little apprehensive, but now no longer wants to attend."
Mr Downing, who also has a daughter in her second year at QECC, said he was aware of the uniform policy.
He said: "The shoes aren't shiny and new but they're not worthy of isolating him on his second day. I have bought Joshua new shoes now."
QECC principal Richard Newton-Chance said the school did everything possible to make parents aware of the uniform policy.
A newsletter sent to QECC students and primary schools in July stated: "Failure to comply with [uniform] rules may result in sanctions being imposed, such as detention, isolation or being sent home to change into correct uniform."
Mr Newton-Chance said: "We're absolutely delighted with the response of nearly all the kids and parents to a major change in uniform.
"We've gone from a sweatshirt and polo shirt to blazer and tie. It's a serious change and needs to be supported in order to make it happen. We were very clear trainers would not be acceptable."
He said fewer than ten students, mainly from the upper school, had received similar treatment to Joshua, and with two exceptions were about shoes.
"The children are the ones who turn up at school and we have to point out to them that what they're wearing isn't in the guidance we published," he said.
He said pupils were no longer being isolated but phone calls were being made to parents.
22 Comments
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by doogle, exeter
Monday, September 13 2010, 12:57AM
“well, the kid has learnt an important lesson that most people end up learning - his father is not the brightest spark !”
by Jan, Okehampton
Friday, September 10 2010, 3:24PM
“Anon. I disagree with you yet again.. But i think this has gone on long enough. you have your opinion and i have mine and im not prepared to get into an argument with you over something that is wandering away from the point in question. at the end of the day.. the school was wrong to do what it did. and im not prepared to keep rehashing the same old thing ive said my bit youve said yours we disagree. .. the end :)”
by me, south zeal
Friday, September 10 2010, 3:15PM
“jan in okehampton here here well said !”
by Anon, Devon
Friday, September 10 2010, 3:11PM
“anonanonpfft, somewhere.org
Judging by the way you have commented & the lack of capital letters at the beginning of sentences, is it possible that you went to the same school as Jan?
Jan, okehampton
Nobody is disputing the responsibility of parents (although there are many who could do with some lessons) but school is a place to learn & I don't mean just the three R'S. It a place for them to learn what is expected of them in society & to grow. Teachers are supposed to be role models. When they are in school they are the responsibility of that school & they ARE in parental control of that child, like it or not.”
by Jan, Okehampton
Friday, September 10 2010, 2:53PM
“Anon, Devon. where do you get off expecting other people to be responsible for your child.. you had the child and ultimately the responsibility for that child is yours. not the schools the childminders or anyone else you happen to drop them off with. its people like you who expect the schools to educate your child about everything so you dont actually have to do any of it yourself. In my view the school should be responsible for teaching the national curriculum and the education they need to become decent human beings is down to the parents with good discipline and a good moral living code. both of which are sadly lacking in a lot of households these days.. its not the schools fault that children are ill behaved and its not theyre job to teach them how to behave that should have been done before they started school.
So dont think you can pass the buck by saying you are both responsible for how your children turn out at the end of they day they are your children and you alone are responsible for them.”
by anonanonpfft, somewhere.org
Friday, September 10 2010, 2:29PM
“anon you would be a bad parent in my eyes. let other people sort your kids out ...tut.... yeh go to work let some one bring your kids up dont have kids if you cant look after them
iam a dad and i will sort my own kids out.... you little do goodies”
by Anon, Devon
Friday, September 10 2010, 11:02AM
“'And its not the schools job to instill discipline into children, its the parents job'
Wrong, it's the responsibility of both!
You just can't pick & choose the 'rules' (& laws) which YOU think is right. What kind of message & example is that to set children! I suggest you remove your 'rose tinted glasses' & observe what is going on all around you, yes, including Okehampton!”
by James, Exeter
Friday, September 10 2010, 11:01AM
“Rebekah,
The point you make about uniforms instilling respect and regard for rules is debatable. Having been a pupil in both a uniformed school (Blazer, Tie etc..), and attending QE during its ¿colour code¿ non-uniform years I feel the insistence of a uniform is to the detriment of a young person¿s development and individuality whilst often being rather uncomfortable to wear! I never saw the greater regard for rules & regulations in my uniformed school that you suggest, and evaluating my former classmates success now it seems it¿s the ones from QE (pre-uniform) are the ones that have gone on to greater things.
However, the main point of this story for me was alluded to by Jan in Okehampton - The school should not be punishing and isolating the child for the uniform indiscretion within the first delicate days in a new school, contact should be made with the parents first before any disciplinary action is taken.”
by Jan, Okehampton
Friday, September 10 2010, 10:26AM
“Anon of Devon
that sounds about right .. hide behind anon that way you can say what you like without the finger being pointed back at you..
i think you should all be ashamed of yourselves.. getting your knickers in a twist over this. in my opinion you are all acting like school bullies.. for god sake.. it was a pair of trainers... he wasnt running around naked . and what if it had been your child? still be so smug would you? i doubt it very much and as for me thinking that the kids would be better off in a hippie commune . if this is what todays education is becoming then yes i think they probably would be.. at least they would grow up happy and well rounded instead of stunted and anal like you all seem to be.. we are talking about young children.. and you know whats wrong with todays society? people like you.. pointing the finger instead of actually getting off your backsides and doing anying constructive about anything.. children do not learn because they are wearing a uniform they learn because they are interested .... and a lot of schools these days dont seem to care about that.. just how they fair in the league table. and to be honest thats probably all your interested in.. how well your kids do at school, not whether they are happy or not. and whats more i can bet that those trainers are not the only trainers in the school. the others may well be all black but they are still trainers not shoes.
It sickens me that you are all being so vicious to this parent who clearly made a mistake.. so what !!!! youve never made a mistake? all i was saying is.. dont punish the child in that way on his second day at school .. over something he had no control over.that was and still is wrong in my opinion. and whats more that is the same as bullying in my eyes and whats more if that had been done to my child i would have reported it to the education authority as well. my child comes first not the school. if they have a problem with my child they come to me. not to my child. it just amazes me that you are all missing the point of this whole thing.. singling out that child like that for something he had no control over was wrong regardless of whos fault it was or wasnt. that is all im saying.
And its not the schools job to instill discipline into children, its the parents job, that is the problem with todays society.. leave it all up to the school that way you dont have to bother. the school should be teaching academic subjects.. if they didnt have to deal with everything from sex education to rules and regs on every thing under the sun maybe a few more kids would be reading these days instead of leaving school as illiterate bums, incapable of doing a days work. whos fault is that? yours as parents or the schools for not doing its job properly? wheres do your fingers point then?”
by Jan, Okehampton
Friday, September 10 2010, 10:24AM
“Anon of Devon
that sounds about right .. hide behind anon that way you can say what you like without the finger being pointed back at you..
i think you should all be ashamed of yourselves.. getting your knickers in a twist over this. in my opinion you are all acting like school bullies.. for god sake.. it was a pair of trainers... he wasnt running around naked . and what if it had been your child? still be so smug would you? i doubt it very much and as for me thinking that the kids would be better off in a hippie commune . if this is what todays education is becoming then yes i think they probably would be.. at least they would grow up happy and well rounded instead of stunted and anal like you all seem to be.. we are talking about young children.. and you know whats wrong with todays society? people like you.. pointing the finger instead of actually getting off your backsides and doing anying constructive about anything.. children do not learn because they are wearing a uniform they learn because they are interested .... and a lot of schools these days dont seem to care about that.. just how they fair in the league table. and to be honest thats probably all your interested in.. how well your kids do at school, not whether they are happy or not. and whats more i can bet that those trainers are not the only trainers in the school. the others may well be all black but they are still trainers not shoes.
It sickens me that you are all being so vicious to this parent who clearly made a mistake.. so what !!!! youve never made a mistake? all i was saying is.. dont punish the child in that way on his second day at school .. over something he had no control over.that was and still is wrong in my opinion. and whats more that is the same as bullying in my eyes and whats more if that had been done to my child i would have reported it to the education authority as well. my child comes first not the school. if they have a problem with my child they come to me. not to my child. it just amazes me that you are all missing the point of this whole thing.. singling out that child like that for something he had no control over was wrong regardless of whos fault it was or wasnt. that is all im saying.
And its not the schools job to instill discipline into children, its the parents job, that is the problem with todays society.. leave it all up to the school that way you dont have to bother. the school should be teaching academic subjects.. if they didnt have to deal with everything from sex education to rules and regs on every thing under the sun maybe a few more kids would be reading these days instead of leaving school as illiterate bums, incapable of doing a days work. whos fault is that? yours as parents or the schools for not doing its job properly? wheres do your fingers point then?”