Marks & Spencer under fire for school blazer that hides iPod

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:35 AM EDT

Article Source: Telegraph

Marks & Spencer has been criticised by Britain's biggest teaching union for launching a school blazer which will help pupils secretly listen to their iPods.

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{"commentId":2474579,"authorDomain":"dcstone01"}

dcstone01

Aren't designers and kids so creative?

Most schools here don't have uniforms, some do have clothing limitations/restrictions. Most have dress codes. During her 12 years of schooling, my daughter only had 'school colors' (the schools term for plain shirt and pants/shorts of specific colors) for 3 of those years.

I remember the last few years of my daughters schooling her backpacks had nifty little features like those mentioned in the article. And for safety and security reasons, I insisted she have her phone with her, even WHEN it violated her school rules. (I don't normally advocate breaking rules, but in this instance, I did)

Yes, schools may limit the technology devices as much as they can. And most kids do follow the rules, or at least keep things hidden while at school.

Being hard on the designer isn't the way to do this though. Any creative parent could do this for their kids.

Besides, the teacher should be paying attention to the students during class. Those iPod cords in the ears are quite noticeable.

Interesting seed DJD, I suppose schools everywhere will be dealing with this issue. Not just in uniform blazers, but jackets, shirts, etc.....

{"commentId":2474579,"threadId":"333242","contentId":"1753171","authorDomain":"dcstone01"}

1 vote

#1 - Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":2474832,"authorDomain":"djd"}

djd

I wish I had something similar in my work suit :) It's funny, when I went to school there was quite a bit of leeway as to the clothes providing that we wore school colours, similar to what you mention. UK schools seems to have gone back to being a bit more control-freaky over such issues these days.

{"commentId":2474832,"threadId":"333242","contentId":"1753171","authorDomain":"djd"}

1 vote

#1.1 - Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":2476026,"authorDomain":"dcstone01"}

dcstone01

Yeah, same here. But with schools now, there is the attempt to control fights and other violence. By using clothing restrictions, it's one of the ways they try to maintain calm.

Its too bad.

I appreciate the creativity, though. It's like what's next?

Have a good weekend DJD.

{"commentId":2476026,"threadId":"333242","contentId":"1753171","authorDomain":"dcstone01"}

1 vote

#1.2 - Sat Aug 16, 2008 7:51 PM EDT

{"commentId":2478362,"authorDomain":"djd"}

djd

Thanks, it's going well so far :)

{"commentId":2478362,"threadId":"333242","contentId":"1753171","authorDomain":"djd"}

#1.3 - Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:58 AM EDT

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DJD

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Marks & Spencer under fire for school blazer that hides iPod

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