“My Son Was Forced To Wear Blazer In Heatwave But Teachers Wore Hawaiian Shirts”

Danielle Barker was outraged after her son felt sick after the school forced him to attend classes in a shirt with a tie and blazer. Her 12-year-old son, Dex, was already worried about the heat before leaving, and their fear was realized just an hour later.

The cherry on top was how Danielle saw the school teachers dressed very lightly during the hottest day of the year yet.

Danielle shared that Dex was “worried and uncomfortable” before sending her off to his school at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy. The Barkers, who are based in Menston, West Yorkshire, only managed for one hour before Danielle was phoned by the school.

She was told that Dex was ill and had to be picked up from school immediately. Danielle drove there and was fuming when she saw the staff dressed in Hawaiian shirts while her son was developing rashes on his body and felt dizzy under the heat.

“He effectively has to wear a full suit to school, whatever the weather,” said Danielle.

“I asked if he could wear his PE kit as it was going to be so warm, but I was told he would go into isolation if he did.”

“He got to school and felt as sick as a dog and dizzy. I had to go and pick him up. The poor kid looked pale, sweaty, and clammy, and he was still thirsty even though he had drunk a lot of water,” Danielle recalled. “He got a heat rash on his arms, legs, and back and suspected heat exhaustion.”

“Staff were wearing shorts, dresses, and Hawaiian shirts, but the children still had to wear uniform,” she mentioned the contrast.

The situation remained horrid for Dex as he felt ill again on Monday after having to go home early on Friday. He vomited as soon as he reached home, and Danielle added, “He was fine in the house with the fan on and wearing loose clothes.”

She’s written to the school that while she “understands the need for uniform,” she believes the rules need to be lax.

“Uniforms are smart, everyone looks the same, and it’s realistic for the impending work world, but offices and other places of work adapt for the weather or have air conditioning – the school does not.”

“My son was anxious about it before he went to school on Friday as he is always warm, even in cooler weather. He had even asked me to take him to the uniform shop to buy him a school skirt as he would be cooler in that than in trousers, but I said no.”

“Myself and other parents feel the rules are outdated and unfair. How does wearing a school-branded PE kit to school on a warm day negatively affect learning and warrant isolation?”

“I would say it’s the opposite, as how can children be productive if they are too warm? It’s ludicrous when the government and other schools say dress appropriately for the weather.”

The government has issued for schools to look after “schoolchildren during heatwaves” and suggests people wear “loose, light-colored clothing” during the heatwave that reached above 30C last week.