Schools are where most of us learned the importance of following rules. From raising our hands to speak to following a schedule, children are expected to toe the line every day while at school. The headmistress at Skerne Park Academy in Darlington, England recently came under fire when she turned the tables on the parents and asked them to follow one simple rule.
Headteacher Kate Chisholm noticed that a large number of parents were wearing pajamas when dropping off and picking up their children from school. Some parents were even wearing the ultra-casual attire to school programs and parents’ evenings. Chisholm decided to address the issue by sending a letter to the parents asking them to dress in appropriate daywear when escorting their children in order to set a good example.
Some parents took exception to the request, feeling that the letter was an unfair personal attack on their wardrobe choices. Karen Routh, the mother of a student at Skerne Park Academy, decided to ignore Chisholm’s request and wore pajamas as she dropped off her child at the school. During an interview, Routh stated that her actions weren’t necessarily meant as a protest but were due to the fact that she was running late.
Routh went on to say that she did feel the school’s efforts would be better directed toward addressing parents who showed up at the school dressed in overly skimpy or revealing clothing instead of focusing on pajamas. There is no word yet on if the school will back down from its pajama ban.
