Queensland School Dress Codes are a JOKE.

The Queensland Director General of Education is unable to decipher a Queensland State School's Dress Code for shoe laces at a Queensland State High School. If not unable, then unwilling in case she might it wrong.

The Director General of Education Queensland still expects Students and Parents to be able to interpret School Dress Codes that she is incapable or unwilling of doing herself.

Queensland State School Dress Codes which the Director General of Queensland Education cannot or is unwilling to interpret should not result in a Queensland State High School student being given detention.

Advisors to the Director General of Education Queensland have also refused to interpret this School Dress Code. The best they can do is quote the Education Act but cannot even interpret a School Dress Code on shoelaces.

How can a parent or student understand the meaning of the Education Act or a schools Dress Code if the Director General of Education can't even decide compliance of shoelaces.

Just imagine what salary a school teacher should be able to command if in the blink of an eye a student can have a detention imposed for wearing these shoelaces yet the Director General of Education Queensland and her office staff cannot decide their compliance with the School's Dress Code which was supplied with the photos without knowing the name of the school involved.

Still no response or decision from my email on 19 February 2008 to Education Minister by 2 May 2008 nor as a result of the letter above.

---

 

A State High School's Dress Code for footwear

PERMITTED
Formal uniform - black,
fully enclosed school shoes.

Sports uniform - neutral
coloured sports shoes
suitable for sports activities.

The colour of any shoelaces
must match the shoes.

The Queensland Education Department are out of touch with reality. When the Director General of Education Queensland has after several emails been unable to supply a decision if the shoe laces in the above Joggers comply with the Dress Code supplied one just wonder what qualification the Director General of Education Queensland has.

Isn't it just wonderful that in this day and age:

When bank interest are rising;

Families are having great difficulty in making house loan repayments;

Putting food on the table due the cost caused by the drought and then flooded farms.

Affording petrol for the family car;

Purchasing complying school uniforms to start a new high school year

A Queensland State High School teacher decides that a students shoe laces do not comply with the school's Dress Code on the first day of the 2008 school year.

It made no difference that the shoe laces came with the shoes.

It will only cost a$1. Don't worry if the family can't afford their mortgage payment, food for the table, petrol to drive to work or shopping it's only a $1. When will the Queensland Education Department wake up to themselves?

Just imagine a migrant family or even a refugee family who have just escaped the turmoil of their own country and with limited English and very limited money are subjected to such pettiness by what is thought to be educated teachers.

The Director General of Education needs to know the name of the school before she can to interperate dress codes. Parents and students have no chance at all.

Who has allowed Dress Codes at Queensland State High Schools that need someone more educated and experienced than the Queensland's Director General of Education to interperate?

I wonder if teachers have a quota of detention to enforce else do they have a prize for the teacher who can impose the most detention daily or weekly?

I have no knowledge as to the financial status of this family but this issue show the bloody stupidity within the Queensland Education Department, TOP to Bottom.

---

When I wrote to the Director General of Education Queensland on 4 February 2008 on behalf of a distressed parent with a child at a Queensland State High School.

I asked the Director General to read the section of the dress code which I included that applied at a school and supplied three photographs of the joggers in question.

The Director General of Education Queensland and her staff have been incapable of responding with an answer as to whether the shoe laces complied with the Dress Code above.

---

E-mail Received

Hi

I’m wondering if you have any information regarding parents’ rights to not comply with ridiculous uniform rules such as the following.

I am a parent of a year 9 child that is being harassed at school by teachers, as are many other students, about the colour of the shoelaces in her joggers.

Now by my understanding of their original policy it was only stated that they require joggers, not any particular kind or colour.

On the first day of school many were given detention because colour of laces did not match the shoes.

The joggers in question cost me enough without them now deciding to ‘micro-control’ the colour of laces.

They are white and blue joggers with blue and white laces. Now in my opinion (if counts at all) is that the laces match the shoes.

Is it fair to think if public schools want to control not only the students, but the parents as well to this degree, then we might consider this dictatorial or military style living.

If this is the case then why don’t they supply the shoes or at least provide them in the uniform shop.

Why don’t the teachers have to wear the school uniforms?

My biggest concern is the fear they are creating in my child and trying to control her for something she has no control of.

Since when did lace colours determine a student’s safety, learning capability or behaviour? Do laces on a shoe determine a person’s career or ability to do their work effectively?

Do we parents have any rights where this is concerned? Who else would I speak to?

I have sent letters to the school and been down to the school, but was put on a ‘we’ll call you list’.

I understand they are busy with much more important aspects of school, but I want my child left alone and this preposterous rule to be cancelled.

There are enough pressures in life without this sort of rubbish.

Thank you.

One of the Director General's BLAND responses

Dear Mr Wilson

I am contacting you on behalf of the Director-General, Education,
Training and the Arts concerning the issues you raised about a school's
dress code.

Unfortunately, the Director-General is not able to provide further
advice on this matter until more details about the school are provided.

Alternatively, you may wish to provide me with your telephone number so
that I can contact you about this matter.

Yours sincerely

Sue Howard
Sue Howard | Principal Policy Advisor
Students At Risk | Student Services Directorate
Department of Education, Training and the Arts
Floor 07 | Education House | 30 Mary Street | Brisbane Q 4000
PO Box 15033 | City East Q 4002
T +617 3237 0510 | F +617 3237 0432
E sue.howard@deta.qld.gov.au | http://www.education.qld.gov.au

HOME PAGE

This page is maintained by

The Rivermouth Action Group Inc

as a community service.

E-mail: activist@rag.org.au