German student body rejects 'paternalistic' dress code proposal
An organisation representing German school pupils has criticised a recommendation by the Federal Parents' Council for a dress code in German schools.
"As a private individual, I would perceive a dress code as paternalistic," said Wiebke Maibaum, secretary-general of the Bundesschülerkonferenz (BSK).
"A dress code, or in the most extreme case, a school uniform, serves to relocate the problems of social inequality," she told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland news group on Friday.
The student body's response came after Christiane Gotte, chairperson of the Federal Parents' Council, recommended that German schools introduce a dress code to prevent pupils coming to school wearing 'sloppy, torn or revealing clothing'.
"Then you can send female or male students home and demand that they dress properly," she told the Funke Media Group's newspapers.
READ ALSO: Germany's parent council wants school ban on 'sloppy and inappropriate clothing'
Maibaum believes that the dress code recommended by the Federal Parents' Council risked undermining self-determination and personal development and would lead to more potential conflicts.
She also criticised what she considered vague wording from the council:
"Are ripped jeans then prohibited, but patched trousers okay for elementary school children? What length do you agree on for a T-shirt?"
According to Maibaum, those who would be most affected by a dress code - teachers and students - are satisfied with the status quo.
"Finding phrasing that specifies how long a T-shirt can be is hardly possible," said association president Stefan Düll to the Funke newspapers.
He emphasised however that "school is not a beach or a club."
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"As a private individual, I would perceive a dress code as paternalistic," said Wiebke Maibaum, secretary-general of the Bundesschülerkonferenz (BSK).
"A dress code, or in the most extreme case, a school uniform, serves to relocate the problems of social inequality," she told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland news group on Friday.
The student body's response came after Christiane Gotte, chairperson of the Federal Parents' Council, recommended that German schools introduce a dress code to prevent pupils coming to school wearing 'sloppy, torn or revealing clothing'.
"Then you can send female or male students home and demand that they dress properly," she told the Funke Media Group's newspapers.
READ ALSO: Germany's parent council wants school ban on 'sloppy and inappropriate clothing'
Maibaum believes that the dress code recommended by the Federal Parents' Council risked undermining self-determination and personal development and would lead to more potential conflicts.
She also criticised what she considered vague wording from the council:
"Are ripped jeans then prohibited, but patched trousers okay for elementary school children? What length do you agree on for a T-shirt?"
According to Maibaum, those who would be most affected by a dress code - teachers and students - are satisfied with the status quo.
"Finding phrasing that specifies how long a T-shirt can be is hardly possible," said association president Stefan Düll to the Funke newspapers.
He emphasised however that "school is not a beach or a club."
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