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Mum furious as son gets detention because she can't afford to buy school uniform

A concerned mum has taken to social media to ask for advice after her son was sent to detention over his school uniform. She says she can't afford to buy him the new uniform

[The mum says she can't afford the new uniform (stock image)]

The mum says she can't afford the new uniform (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/Image Source)

An outraged mum has slammed her son's school for putting him in detention for wearing his old uniform.

She shared how the establishment introduced a new school uniform policy, complete with jumpers, shirts, and a PE kit, and only gave parents "a few months' notice" about the change.

Before this switch-up, students could wear their own clothes to school provided they matched its colour scheme. But as she is unable to afford a new uniform, she continues to send her 16-year-old son to school in the old uniform, arguing his clothing makes no impact on his education.

The mum ranted: "I'm on half my normal wage with still bills to pay, children to feed, and normal monthly expenses. I cannot drop 400 on a new uniform that will only be used for a year. I can't afford or justify not eating to be able to afford it."

She continued, revealing her situation: "Circumstances have changed drastically and being out of work for months with bills and other expenses."

Yet, the school's having none of it, chucking her boy into detention and vowing to keep it up until he toes the line with the dress code. Taking to Reddit, she said: "The new uniform is extremely expensive and I cannot afford to get it. They only informed us about this in July and other parents are in the same boat.

"I told the school this, and I can't even give my daughter the uniform as she is in an all-girls school. The school said I needed to get the new uniform by September and all this year's add-ons. I said again, that I couldn't afford it and that last year one would just have to do. It's his final year of secondary on top of all of that.

"I said either they can provide the uniform or they can be quiet about him wearing the old one. The principal told me that if he doesn't have the new uniform, there'll be letters sent home constantly, my son will be given detention and if he doesn't attend his detentions he'll be suspended."

Reassuring her son, she said she would not punish him for skipping the detentions because it's not his fault she cannot afford to buy him the correct uniform. Seeking advice, she has taken to Reddit to ask users what she should do in this situation.

In response, one user said: "I would complain about the uniform issue to the governors, PTA, council, etc. I don't think it's fair to make you have to buy a whole new uniform set for one year. When the school I taught at changed uniform we allowed year 10 and 11 to keep using the old style unless they chose to buy new/needed new ones anyway." Another user added: "Your son has done nothing wrong so he deserves no punishment. You've done nothing wrong either mum. This was appropriate in both situations."

A third user said: "This all reminds me of the new principal at my son's elementary school. She was convinced that uniforms were the answer to the kids' problems (No parents at home, no regular meals, homelessness, etc.). It took the PTA two years to get rid of her and she went on to be a bus driver."

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