piercings and school policies

[nwtrikette]

I am not sure where to post this......

My daughter had her belly button pierced for her 13th birthday which was only a few weeks ago. Now her school will not let her do P.E unless she takes it out. She cannot remove it for 3 months!

Today I put a HUGE plaster over it so there was no possible chance of anything getting caught on it or it causing any problems, but that wasn't good enough for the school. They have now said that my daughter will do 2 after school detentions which are an hour each for not doing P.E, and she faces being put in isolation and even exclusion.
How is this fair??? Nowhere in the school policy does it mention such piercings, just facial and earrings. I can fully understand the health and safety issues but if it's covered I dont see the problem.

After the 3 months both myself and my daughter have no problem in her removing it for P.E, but whilst its healing she cant. Why should she be punished for that!!

Before some people start going on that a child of her age shouldnt have piercings.... please dont bother. Or those who would say she should of had it at the begining of summer holidays... i didnt choose her birth day!!


Thanks in advance

[Blyss]

Im 38 and I got chucked outta school for having my nose done at the ripe old age of 15 ,, I refused to be victimised for this {like most 15 yr olds) and in the end I was out of the school for 3 months . The reason i was out of school for that long was the head of the school ..there was another girl same age as me with it done and she was allowed to stay !! I was so peed off lemmie tell ya.
Anyways ,, My poor mom ended up being taken infront of the childrens panel becuase of my 3 months off .
When it was explained to the panel ..why I was off they were horrifed ..completely!!
So I can really feel for you about this , although now Im a grown up and kinda strict I wouldnt allow my daughter to have her belly done at 13 ..but in saying that ..lol its only becuase I think its horrible .
I did allow my older daughter to get her tounge done at 15 and the school she was at had no problems at all .
Maybe you should contact the school and ask to see there policies on piercings ..and ask around and see if there are other kids in the school with the same piercings as your daughter.
I would really go a bit postal if My daughter was made to stay after school for 2 hours , if some other kid hasnt been made to do the same in the same circumstances .
Ask around ..find out .

[Pippa68]

What if it takes much longer to heal than the 3 months? as I have put in one of my replies (I happen to think is useful in your case, by the way) it can take up to a year.

I am sure the school will not waive any policy they may have for that long...

Did the piercer warn your daughter or yourself about migration?

[lady_p_gold]

I can see that it feels harsh when everyone jumps on you, but to be honest the reason that you asked the question is that it has caused a problem at school, and as previously said, if the school has rules, which it has to to be able to run properly, then as a parent you should try and assist them and not make their lives difficult. The way things are going these days some parent will probably sue the school for their child getting caught on something and ripping their stomach, so they are merely being cautious. Also there could be the issue of bodily fluids being in proximity to other children, unlikely but still technically possible.

[meltoadhall]

you want advice - ok all schools in the uk are obliged by law to have policies and to have them available to parents. therefore contact your local education authority for clarification on this.
the grammar school my daughter attends does not allow any piercings except a small pair of ear studs and they have to be removed for PE.
we had a copy of this ruling before she started and will adhere to this because this is the school we have chosen for her to go to.
at the end of the day, you and your daughter are ignoring the school rules - you can always remove her to another school that doesnt have the same rules.
your choice.

[nwtrikette]

Again my point is being missed! I am not trying to be awkward towards the school or go against their rules. I am simply saying that all parents should be told of such policies in advance (I had no idea it would cause such a problem, I wouldn't of allowed it had I known!). The school are not against the piercing just the fact that it has to be taken out for PE. I dont see that it is a problem as long as it is covered. And each rule should be for everyone in the school, not just the odd kid (I dont mean odd as in strange lol).

pippa, yes the piercer warned me of migration, as did my husband (he's a nurse). They also spoke at great lenghts with my daughter about it. In the end she still chose to have it done. It was not done on a whim (!)
I know it can take up to a year for it to heal but after 3 months she is allowed to change the bar, so in my opinion, if it can be taken out to be changed then it can be taken out for a PE lesson.

[makemesmile]

Ok, you want advice? Here's mine: take the bl00dy thing out and stop wining!

[B00]

Regrettably it does look like you're onto a loser with this one.....you've admitted that the school doesn't have a problem with piercings, their rules stipulate that they have to be removed. I think we can all logically assume that they won't bed the rules for one particular case just because your daughter's piercing is in a tricky place.

At the end of the day- rules are rules, and if this is the schools ruling then no matter how petty you feel this may be, you either have to adhere to them or remove your daughter from the school altogether.

[B00]

Bed the rules??? I obviously meant bend!!!

[peachy51]

didnt u think to ask the school first about the regulations regarding this..........????

[luckyeight]

Why don't you write the school a letter explaining the situation ie you were not aware that the school would have an issue with this, and that your daughter cannot remove the piercing until it has healed. (Maybe she will have to stay off PE for three months if they don't think the plaster over the bar is good enough. You could suggest this as an option.) It might be worth your while including a doctor's letter explaining that it would be dangerous to remove the piercing until it has healed ie scarification etc. Explain that she will remove it for PE once the piercing has healed and then it can be 'business as usual'. Hopefully the school will see that you are being reasonable, because I agree that threatening your daughter with endless detentions is unfair. This all hinges on obscure school policies. Maybe this will prompt the school to be clearer about piercings. Good luck.

[bird_81]

I have no problem with you letting your daughter having her belly button pierced as it was both hers and your choice. I know it's supposed to stay in for three months but surely it won't heal up in an hour or so. I know tongue piercings heal up extremely quick but not belly button piercings. When I had mine done I took it out after a week to clean it thoroughly with salt water, it may have been a little sore but it went back in easily.

[Inge Jones]

What is the matter with schools these days? Perhaps its time PTAs organised themselves to stand against some of the unnecessary rules. I sometimes think these innocent young citizens get more regimentation than convicted prisoners. No wonder they appear to be uncooperative at times!

[ilovetolove]

I will not judge you. I had my belly button pierced a year ago and I took it out for minor surgery (only a few hours) and the hole closed! And it has left a scar. I was warned this at the time of having it pierced. I also know of cases where serious infection has occurred. I will not be having it re-done! Not worth the hassle.

[vicalncraig]

if her friends want a tattoo, to have sex or jump off a cliff will you let her?

at least at school she has a responsible adult to look out for her, because you seem to lack this skill.

At 13 i bet she is more of an adult than you are

[magsta]

ignore the stupid advise it's silly and pickish leave it in speak to the teacher ask if they is anything else she can do as the piercing is not coming out i would not even bother school these days are stupid my daughter got her ears piecerd for her birthday at the end of the day that wats happened if school don't like it sod them !!!!!!!!!

[Katie_Baby]

good for you for standing up to them. i have no problem with piercings and think that schools really overdo the rules on uniform. for example a school in my area will send kids home if they wear patterned socks!
the legal age is 12 and other than that it's up to the piercer and the guardian to decide.
talk to the head teacher about it and stand your ground. i hope everything turns out okay for you!

[Katie_Baby]

good on you for fighting them!
i have no problems with piercings. you should have been told the policy on piercings before your daughter enrolled into the school. and if the policy only mentioned facial piercings then they need to be more specific. i spent months in school with a plaster over my belly bar for pe, and did not have a problem participating.
try and talk to the headmaster and insist on seeing the policy. if the headmaster still refuses to see your point, complain to the board or ask that all other students with belly bars be treated in the same manner as your daughter.
well done to you for arguing your case and i hope evetything turns out okay for your daughter!