Girl in Union Jack dress sent home on diversity day

Bluebell
It is precisely comments like yours, such as as only providing British Values thats the problem. I do have issues with it. We are supposed to watch every word we say in case it causes offence? Why. Its Britain. I am British, nothing to apologise for, love and respect out values. If you can’t wear your own flag in your own country there is a big problem with those that oppose it. Her speech was good, the poster not offensive. It’s absolutely ridiculous. The problem here is the Head, obviously what she thinks, needs to go bad influence on the students.

I don't have any problems with her speech, or her dress, and the school was wrong.
However, I'm with BlueBelle on the British Values poster. I do not see these as exclusively British. Are they not pretty much the values of the Norwegians, or the Dutch, or the Spanish or..?
I have heard some citizens of the USA explaining how their country is the greatest, the last bastion of free speech, liberty etc. I would hope that the British citizen has a more realistic world view, and understands that humanity is not the prerogative of our nation only.

Spinnaker

And there's the rub Primrose, no-one is supposed to show pride in being British anymore.

I think the tide is turning. Thankfully.

My knowledge is in relation to early years settings, but the British values that must (it is not optional) be discussed/promoted are democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and tolerance of different faiths/beliefs. I don't think people are saying that these vaues are unique to Britain just that they are a key part of our culture. And obviously some countries are not fortunate enough to have individual liberty, democracy, etc.

I agree with you Doodledog probably a back story and is this a good lesson to teach your daughter, running to the press?
I await other parents following suit.
The school have apologised, that should be enough

V3ra

Her speech is very well written and spot on.

As a childminder I am supposed to promote Great British Values.
We have this poster, which I added the flag details to, on the wall in the hall.
It prompts a lot of conversation!

l don't understand why "Wrong" is a British Value. Anyone explain?

Are afternoon tea and fish & chips prevalent in other cultures? I can't think where.

She's a young girl trying to articulate how she feels being British. Of course there are attributes that are common among many cultures, but she's what? 11 - 12? I thought she did well and the school have now made a big mountain out of a small molehill.

Jaxjacky

I agree with you Doodledog probably a back story and is this a good lesson to teach your daughter, running to the press?
I await other parents following suit.
The school have apologised, that should be enough

If they hadn’t told the press then the school would have continued with their prissy wokery so the Father did everyone a favour by exposing it.

I think the poster is excellent. Would it make chocolatelovinggran happier if the Swedish, Danish, Spanish etc. flags were added? Can't see any other countries speaking up for our values and cultures.

the Father did everyone a favour by exposing it I agree Oreo.

This is so stupid. We have in Great Britain, should be celebrated. I once went to a church with similar dress and nobody threw me out. Well, they did not befriend me but at least left me to be

I don't blame her running to the press. If the school had an ounce of sense thay would have realised that sending her home might end up as a headline.
If it compromised what students had been asked to do for diversity day (maybe it did) then it could've been dealt with in a less draconian way.

It was a celebration of Culture Day, and she did what was required; produced a speech dealing with her culture. She was most unfairly treated, as the school has now acknowledged.

Once schools would use suspension only for the most serious offences. This was not one, and it would be interesting to know what prompted that decision, and who made it.

valdavi

I don't blame her running to the press. If the school had an ounce of sense thay would have realised that sending her home might end up as a headline.
If it compromised what students had been asked to do for diversity day (maybe it did) then it could've been dealt with in a less draconian way.

Do we know if her or the Dad ran to the press? I don’t blame him if he did because she is apparently a good kid and never been in trouble. If I was at work and contacted to collect my child for wearing that dress to a diversity day I would not be pleased. It could have been another parent or student who contacted the press I guess.

My son said he heard another lad got sent home because he wore a flat cap and a tweed jacket.

Liloldlady, which of the countries you listed do not share values such as justice and fair play?
I made no reference to flags, so I'm not clear why you are asking me about them.

What absolute nonsense and I do hope that soon we are able to celebrate our pride in our country as we always could in the past.

Doodledog

What has the fact that she is a 'Grade A' student got to do with it?

I don't see why the incident should define her throughout her school career - if it does it will be because her father went to the press with the story, though. I wonder whether he was behind the speech in the first place?

I agree that British culture is valuable, and lament the fact that far right groups have hijacked the Union Jack (and the England flag in particular - the flags of the other home nations are still seen as acceptable), but I'd be interested to learn whether there is more to this than meets the eye.

Regarding your second para Doodledog just a few days ago coincidentally I posted about a lad I went to grammar school with who got kicked out because his mother gave him a very severe haircut. It was the time of the skinheads so I guess the Headmaster thought he would be trouble.

I met him many years later and still see him occasionally and that stayed with him all his life because it was unfair, he was humiliated and was estranged from all his schoolmates.

Oh and Doodledog the A grade student comment obviously means she is a good kid and never been in trouble. Surely you could have worked that out yourself.😉

In my decades of working in education I learnt that having good grades doesn't prove good behaviour, and absolutely nothing would 'obviously' mean that someone had never been in trouble, so no, I couldn't work it out. Apart from my own work experience, I remember a girl in my daughter's class who was a bully and a disrupter of lessons. Her mum was a friend of mine who just wouldn't believe the things she did on the grounds that she was an 'A student'. My daughter witnessed it (including a stand-in teacher being reduced to tears by her) and confirmed that it was all true and there was more that the school didn't know.

That's a shame about the boy with the haircut. I'm not in favour of schools dictating things like that, and despair at the hypocrisy of sending children with the wrong haircut or shoes home and fining parents who take them on holiday, but I know others feel differently. All the same, most parents don't go to the press about their children's suspensions. If anything is going to make the incident cling to her it was that.

I'm not saying I think the school was right, but I would be more than surprised if this is the whole story.

But to be honest. So what. I suspect dad is tricky and that's an understatement but that obviously should have no impact on how we behave towards a child.
When women were fighting institutions around gender ideology we absolutely used whatever press would listen to us. If institutions don't want bad press try not to behave like fools.

Doodledog

Exactly, Granmarderby. I wonder if the girl is being used. I can't imagine my father getting involved in something like that, and if Mr Dog had gone to the press because one of ours had been sent home there would have been 'words spoken' .

My father wouldn't but I'm sure my son would, he's a very interested and hands-on Dad.

I think many young fathers are interested in what is happening in their children's lives, more so than previous generations.

I should add - My DS would not be going to the press over this.
He would just be interested in what is happening at school, was a school governor at the primary school and is not a disinterested father.

"So let’s celebrate all cultures — whether they come from far away or right here at home."
FairIsleCable it's a great speech, well thought out and inclusive too. She should be proud of herself.

'Your attire must reflect your nationality or family heritage'
I would say she nailed it.

Last week a school leaver was banned from attending her school prom at a local school.

It seems she was also a good, popular student but her attendance had not been very good in recent months for medical reasons. School had warned kids that if they did not attend a certain amount of days they would not be allowed to attend the Prom. She had evidence to prove her medical reasons but school still banned her.

She decided to turn up for the prom anyway but was not allowed in. Her dress cost her parents £130!

I thought it very unfair.

Primrose53

Doodledog

What has the fact that she is a 'Grade A' student got to do with it?

I don't see why the incident should define her throughout her school career - if it does it will be because her father went to the press with the story, though. I wonder whether he was behind the speech in the first place?

I agree that British culture is valuable, and lament the fact that far right groups have hijacked the Union Jack (and the England flag in particular - the flags of the other home nations are still seen as acceptable), but I'd be interested to learn whether there is more to this than meets the eye.

Regarding your second para Doodledog just a few days ago coincidentally I posted about a lad I went to grammar school with who got kicked out because his mother gave him a very severe haircut. It was the time of the skinheads so I guess the Headmaster thought he would be trouble.

I met him many years later and still see him occasionally and that stayed with him all his life because it was unfair, he was humiliated and was estranged from all his schoolmates.

I wonder whether he was behind the speech in the first place?

Perhaps but if so, it was a very good speech and inclusive too.

Why should there have to be a back story? This story is big enough and, in fact important enough to precipitate debate.