Girl in Union Jack dress sent home on diversity day

There is now a Gofundme page for the girl started by Voice of Wales a far right group - sigh..

So, can someone please describe to me a traditional British or English costume which would be appropriate for such a day? (Allira)

Why are you even asking that question? You must, know that we don't have "British Costume". Why try and conjure one up? Our "tradition" doesnt include one.

What an opportunity for the teachers to talk to the children about the UK being made up of four separate countries. That what is now considered the Welsh traditional dress was seen as that because it differed from what was worn elsewhere, etc. That England is a country that has gone forward by being good at adapting to change. So we did not adopted a "costume" at any point; not the Roman robe, the Danes headdress or any of the French tradition. We absorbed the bits we wanted, grew and moved on.

Or do you think it was this father's job to teach the children at the school to see things the way he sees them? If he thinks his views come before his daughter's well being then he is to blame for using her. Not the school.

We are still in Europe for anyone mourning the loss of being part of a whole Continent.

Allira

^I suppose I thought I was European but that was taken from me.^

You can still write your address as I did in my books as a child - name, address, Town, County, Country, GB, Europe, The World, The Solar System, The Universe!

😂

I remember my school having a flagpole with a Union flag. Not flown all the time but on designated days and special events.

I wish the majority would actively cherish and celebrate a unifying British culture and heritage before it all gets neutralised to avoid offending those who hate this country.

It’s unbelievable!

Fascinating to know that the name comes from 'Moors'.
😂😂😂

This was relatively easy 😀

Morris Dancing?

I suggested that ages ago.

Honestly, teachers must think that busy, working parents have time to whip up a costume on the machine, several I they have more than one child at the school.
Most Mums I know groaned if their child had a fancy dress competition at school.

Morris Dancing is great fun to watch, especially the more vigorous versions. Dates, in England, from around the 15th century.
Fascinating to know that the name comes from 'Moors'.

icanhandthemback

Allira

day not say
Or event if that makes it clearer

Yes, I did and could find little wrong with it.

Any suggestions? English milkmaid? Henry VIII?
Anne Boleyn - with her head tucked underneath her arm as the song goes?
Pearly Queen?

Allira

The letter to parents states that "We look forward to a joyful and meaningful Culture Day at Bilton School".

So, can someone please describe to me a traditional British or English costume which would be appropriate for such a day? Football kits were specifically excluded even though football, and rugby in particular, are part of our culture.

Obviously the Wellbeing and Culture Coordinator at the school was not very interested in this child's well-being as she was humiliated by the school. I'm not surprised her father is furious. Some teachers (not all) do take pleasure in humiliating children.

Morris Dancing?

Allira

day not say
Or event if that makes it clearer

Yes, I did and could find little wrong with it.

The letter to parents states that "We look forward to a joyful and meaningful Culture Day at Bilton School".

So, can someone please describe to me a traditional British or English costume which would be appropriate for such a day? Football kits were specifically excluded even though football, and rugby in particular, are part of our culture.

Obviously the Wellbeing and Culture Coordinator at the school was not very interested in this child's well-being as she was humiliated by the school. I'm not surprised her father is furious. Some teachers (not all) do take pleasure in humiliating children.

PoliticsNerd

Allira

Why should our flags be banned because other countries are at war?

A flag is not not a costume reflecting your culture, it's well....a flag.
Culture includes symbols of our history and nationality, and I would say that a flag is a symbol of that.

How strange that we should feel we need to deny that.

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇦🇺

I don't think that generally anyone is denying our culture etc., Indeed for centuries we have had a view of how our our countries flags should be treated with respect. Had the child worn red, white and blue there would have been no problem. The flag does not belong to the individual it belongs to us all.

What I see is people asking for respect of our flag. Those in our armed forces, etc., will have been taught that the flag "should be displayed only in a dignified manner befitting the national emblems."

I'm not suprised that some people found turning it into a child's dress was an undignified use of our flag. The reaction from the father would also lead me to wonder if they were not concerned about the message this would send.

I'm not suprised that some people found turning it into a child's dress was an undignified use of our flag

It was nothing to do with that.

So dresses, cushions, hats, t shirts with the union flag are undignified?

Many would disagree but that was not the reason she was banned.

day not say
Or event if that makes it clearer

icanhandthemback

*Allira*, if you are having a day to bring people together, having flags of those at war would probably be a bone of contention. Banning those countries of having their flags would be problematic so a complete ban would be the best way forward IMO.

I do agree with this though: ^Culture includes symbols of our history and nationality, and I would say that a flag is a symbol of that.^

Have you read the specifications of the say and the speech which this child prepared?

Was it specified that no flags were to appear?

Allira

Why should our flags be banned because other countries are at war?

A flag is not not a costume reflecting your culture, it's well....a flag.
Culture includes symbols of our history and nationality, and I would say that a flag is a symbol of that.

How strange that we should feel we need to deny that.

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇦🇺

I don't think that generally anyone is denying our culture etc., Indeed for centuries we have had a view of how our our countries flags should be treated with respect. Had the child worn red, white and blue there would have been no problem. The flag does not belong to the individual it belongs to us all.

What I see is people asking for respect of our flag. Those in our armed forces, etc., will have been taught that the flag "should be displayed only in a dignified manner befitting the national emblems."

I'm not suprised that some people found turning it into a child's dress was an undignified use of our flag. The reaction from the father would also lead me to wonder if they were not concerned about the message this would send.

Allira, if you are having a day to bring people together, having flags of those at war would probably be a bone of contention. Banning those countries of having their flags would be problematic so a complete ban would be the best way forward IMO.

I do agree with this though: Culture includes symbols of our history and nationality, and I would say that a flag is a symbol of that.

I suppose I thought I was European but that was taken from me.

You can still write your address as I did in my books as a child - name, address, Town, County, Country, GB, Europe, The World, The Solar System, The Universe!

I'm not denying anything.

Nothing to do with multiculturalism, being a leftie and woke, I have never felt any sense of patriotism or pride on my country.

I'm not interested in flags or borders or nationalism

I suppose I thought I was European but that was taken from me.

The costume idea at the school seems ill thought out by the school and the Dad seems manipulative.

Why should our flags be banned because other countries are at war?

A flag is not not a costume reflecting your culture, it's well....a flag.
Culture includes symbols of our history and nationality, and I would say that a flag is a symbol of that.

How strange that we should feel we need to deny that.

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇦🇺

ronib

I am surprised to find that infant and primary school provision has improved greatly over the last 40 years. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding Bilton School but overall, education seems to be in a better place. Just as well as quite a few prep schools are shutting down…. Another government intervention.

Human nature uneducated seems happy to hype the single mistake rather than a) admit to their own failings and b) celebrate the success of others.

GN can be very depressing at times.

I don't think the idea was poor but the way it has been executed has made things worse rather than better. I'd be interested to know though whether other clothes with flags got the thumbs down. In a world where the Iranians, Palestinians and Isreal along with Russia and Ukraine are at war, I'd have thought it would have been a good idea to have banned all flags for the day.

It says Your attire must reflect your nationality or your family heritage.

So her dress did reflect her nationality.

Actually I think the whole idea was poor. Tokenism.