"Earring means you're gay" school court case

Well, that's a load of bollox.

There's definitely a discussion about school uniforms and if they're needed and what is/isn't appropriate wear in school that's separate to the case. Irish schools are weird in that regard.

But to the case. The rules stated no singular earring. Or at least the rules were interpreted as a max of one earring in each ear. Principle interpreted it there must be either none or one in each ear. Parent interpreted it as there can't be anymore than one in an ear.

I guess rules are rules. But it sounds like a stupid rule, that's not clearly written. And it definitely got blown out of proportion.

The witness said that from September 6 onward, her son was subject to sanctions, including being placed sitting outside the principal’s office, being denied leave to go down to the town on his lunch break, and being assigned to evening detention which would have meant missing his bus home.

She told the tribunal this went on for six to seven weeks until early in October, when the assistant principal had stated there would be “no further sanctions” until the case was heard at the WRC.

Surely the Dept of Education should be stepping in here and giving the principal what for, and putting an end to this waste of everyone’s time.

Simple answer all ear piercings banned for everyone. I can see some of the principal's side as anyone that tries to stand out as different, incorrect uniform, hairstyle that is not the school code can be seen as a challenge to authority.

I immediately remembered a rocker type student in 5th/6th being told by the principal "Get rid of those sideburns son, it is not the 60's" The young fella went red.

An ear ring challenging authority?

lol.

You left your ear at home?

When ah wur a lad, the rules - IIRC - were one ear, one piercing == fine, two ears, one piercing each == gay, one or more ears, multiple piercings == Curehead.

Right ear meant you were gay back in the day.

You'd swear he came in with a Prince Albert and started waving it at the principal.

It was a small stud piercing.

Baffling that someone tasked with looking after children and educating them would die on this hill.

Oh my God! An earring! A teenager attempting to express himself through his appearance! Whatever will teachers have to deal with next? Not normal development of individual identity formation in young adults, surely?! This must be stamped out now, or we're all doomed!!!!

I didn't go to school this century, and I still saw male pupils with pierced ears. It's not exactly a new trend.

As for girls with piercings, in my secondary school days, there was a short lived trend for them to have a chain linking an ear piercing to a nose piercing.

No one seems to know the rules on piercings in this particularly school.

But maybe the lad who is 16, wasn't rebelling at all he just wanted to wear a stud on his ear because you know a footballer or artist he follows does the same or he thought it looked cool.

I very much doubt he was standing up against the tyranny of banned ear lobe jewellery. 😂

FFS! SOCKS?! What type of wisdom or life skill is forcing people to wear socks of uniform colour supposed to impart?

Some schools are still strict. There was a thread here only recently about a schoolgirl who shaved her head for charity and was sent home from school.