Parent support on school’s rules blitz
TOWNSVILLE parents have defended schools’ uniform policies after it was revealed a private school was handing out detentions for students wearing hairbands around their wrists and leaving their lockers unsecured.
Jo, a mum of five, aired her frustrations after her daughter Jemma received a detention this week for leaving her locker unlocked, breaking one of what she says is a “never ending” list of rules.
“My daughter studies very hard, was on the student council, helps other kids with their schoolwork, volunteers for absolutely everything, and this is what she faces,” Jo said.
“With more and more tiny rules, it just seems like our schools aren’t helping our kids.
“They’re supposed to be teaching them about the adult world and they’re going the wrong way about it.
“You have to pay money in school fees and you have to send your kid somewhere six hours a day … I just ask they be practical about it.”
Jemma is in Year 10 at Southern Cross Catholic College Annandale and Jo said she received emails almost weekly about new rules being added to the school’s policy.
“The latest crackdown is because kids haven’t been locking their school lockers; last term they weren’t able to wear hairbands on their wrists,” Jo said.
“I’m waiting for the day Jemma asks to change schools because it’s too much.”
An email sent from the school last week and obtained by the Townsville Bulletin informs parents that “some areas of the uniform … are slipping in our homeroom”.
Issues include students wearing sports hats with their academic uniform, incorrect and additional earrings and wearing their sports uniform more days than they’re allowed.
But many parents defended the rules, saying uniform policies taught students discipline.
“My children attend this school and I fully support every detention ever given to all three of them,” Debbie Maclean said.
“They are given opportunities to correct their non-adherence to the school policies before a detention is issued. It is preparing our children for ‘adulting’ and employment where there are rules that need to be followed.”
The mum said after floods, SCCC donated the new uniforms to children who didn’t have the correct one.
SCCC principal Greg Cameron told the Bulletin that policies and procedures were published on the school website for parents to access and “also communicated at various juncture points during the school year to our community”.
“We don’t believe we are burdening parents with updated rules and regulation and will seek further feedback from our board and P&F bodies to check if this is indeed an issue with other parents,” Mr Cameron said.
“The care of our students is paramount so we are certainly concerned to hear of the worry that these children may be experiencing. The school has robust pastoral care programs to ensure the wellbeing of all our students.”