School uniforms

The case of Shabina Begum, the girl who was banned from school three years ago when she was fourteen because she insisted on wearing full Islamic dress, is now awaiting a final judgement from the law lords. According to today's Observer head teachers have said that if the judgement goes in her favour, making it unlawful to exclude children for refusing to wear a school uniform on religious grounds, it would "undermine the authority of schools."
It is totally inappropriate for head teachers to invoke these vast powers – the law lords and "the authority of schools" – and the great expense entailed, to force a young person to wear clothes she does not want to wear. There are few other Western countries where there is any school uniform at all.
When King Edward VI Community College in Totnes decided to drop its uniform a couple of years ago, there was an immediate improvement in staff-student relationships. It would seem to be more sensible if the final judgement in the Begum case simply made it unlawful to exclude children for refusing to wear a school uniform, period.
The Observer leader commented, "Everyone sacrifices personal expression when they don school uniform," which struck me as a sensible comment, as I don't think anyone should be obliged to make such a sacrifice. However, this was presented as an argument in favour of uniform, rather than against it. When intelligent journalists in a moderately liberal newspaper hold such views, there seems to be little hope of reform.

Peers and young people

ESSA, the English School Students' Association, is part of a coalition of organisations campaigning against the sexual health protocols which if implemented will take away a young person’s right to confidentiality when speaking to doctors and teachers.
Danielle de Bruin, a representative of ESSA, attended a Peers Lobbying Meeting at the House of Lords, and the Peers who were present said that it was refreshing to hear a young person’s point of view on the matter.
Refreshing! What about essential? What about young people's views, rather than a young person's point of view? How can anybody discuss issues like this without finding out what the people most concerned think about it? If Danielle hadn't been present, would the peers have continued their discussion in ignorance?
Well, at least it was refreshing that the Peers thought it was refreshing.