Why Is This Still Going On?

[Hymie]

I can well remember an assembly soon after starting my secondary education, in which the headmaster berated pupils for not having the official school uniform emblem on their blazer (and this was back in the late 60s).

It would take careful examination to see that emblem was not the real deal; in an instant I realised that the school was getting kickbacks from the official school uniform supplier (otherwise why complain about a non-issue).

The FTSE100 company I work for has all sorts of anti-bribery, anti-competitive procedures in place that would not allow the company to behave in this manner. An employee engaged in such a practice would likely be dismissed for gross misconduct.

Why do we allow such behaviour from our schools – which would not be acceptable in business?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11178921/Wales-scrap-school-uniform-logos-make-iron-help-parents-save-money.html

[Deskdiary]

I agree.

We can only buy my son's uniform from one shop.

The rugby kit is Samurai, and the shirt, shorts and socks are the best part of £100 - he's started his third year of secondary school today, and he's growing like mad, so in the three years of secondary school so far, we've had to buy 5 full kits.

The shirts have the school logo, at £45 a pop, so you can't buy plain ones from M&S, the trousers are a particular grey unique to the school, at £50 a go, so trying to replace with another grey sticks out like a sore thumb.

The logo'd PE T-Shirts, at £25 a go, are Fruit of the Loom cheap rubbish.

It's a right racket.

[bednobs]

christ i would pay extra *NOT* to have to sew on a badge!

[barry1010]

It is not allowed https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/what-is-school-uniform-law-will-it-help-to-save-money-b1020163.html

[Zacs-Master]

Paywall on that site, Barry.

Here’s the Govt one:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-law-to-make-school-uniform-costs-affordable-for-all

[barry1010]

That's odd, no paywall for me - thanks for the alternate link

[Zacs-Master]

Well,actually it’s a registration wall so I presume you’ve registered at some time in the past. I’d do the same but I don’t want MI5 to have me on file as an Evening Standard subscriber ;-)

[barry1010]

I don't recall registering and I didn't have to sign in. Maybe they think you are a bot

[Zacs-Master]

Maybe!

[Zacs-Master]

Ah, apologies, if you click ‘maybe later’ it lets you in. Sheesh.

[Hymie]

I should add that the school I attended (receiving illegal kickbacks) was a bog-standard secondary-modern.