An autistic girl says she was asked to provide a doctor’s certificate to get out of wearing $10 branded school socks, after the school threatened another student with suspension over the rule.
Kenmore State High School in Brisbane made headlines earlier this week after threatening to punish one of their students when he failed to attend detention for breaching the draconian uniform policy.
On Thursday, 13-year-old Sparrow Warburton, who has autism, said she physically can’t wear the regulation socks, which set parents back $10 a pair.
‘For someone like me, who has very extreme sensory issues, wearing ankle socks can throw off my entire walking,’ Sparrow told 9 News.
Sparrow Warburton, who has autism, says she physically can’t wear the regulation socks due to her sensory issues
Sparrow’s mother Cathryn said her daughter, who is in year eight, was already threatened with detention weeks ago
Sparrow’s mother Cathryn said her daughter, who is in year eight, was already threatened with detention weeks ago.
‘To see her sitting in the doctors room and to have to say ‘I’m autistic and that’s why I can’t wear your uniform that makes (the socks) feel like sandpaper’,’ she said.
‘The branded socks are $10 dollars which parents can’t afford.’
Fed up students have now organised a protest where hundreds of kids are expected to turn up to class in generic white socks as an act of defiance.
Earlier this week, the same school threatened a male student with suspension for not wearing the school-brand socks, which bear the letters ‘KSHS’.
The student’s breach was wearing generic white socks instead of the school’s own branded socks.
Kenmore State High School in Brisbane already threatened to suspend a student for failing to turn up to detention because he didn’t wear regulation socks
Parents and students are fed up with having to buy a pair of branded school socks for $10, when similar socks are less than a third of the price at K Mart
The young student’s mother, Sara*, told The Courier Mail her son had worn the same type of unbranded white socks all year but it wasn’t until recently was sent a breach notice.
According to the high school’s policy, parents of a student found in breach of uniform policy are sent a letter and the student is given lunch time detention for every day of breach.
If they fail to attend lunch time detention twice, as this student did, then they are given an after school detention and if they miss that then they risk suspension.
Sara was informed that if her son failed to attend his next detention on Friday then he would be suspended.
She said she understood the importance of uniform shirts and shorts and that her son simply forgotten he had detention and didn’t skip it out of malice or protest.
‘I have no issue with kids wearing school uniforms just the schools need to make up their minds and stick to their own policies and communicate that more effectively with parents,’ Sara told the publication.
‘I understand wearing school shirts and shorts, but I can buy three pairs of regular white socks from Target for $10, but now I know, I have to go to the uniform shop to get the socks.’
In June Kenmore State High School principal Paul Robertson contacted parents after he caught wind of a poll being sent around regarding the school’s uniform policy.
He urged parents not to partake in the poll as it was not official.
The poll was created after he informed parents in 2018 the school would be getting tougher on its uniform policy in 2019.
The school’s socks can be purchased at the uniform store for $10 a pair of three for $25 which Sara said she understood.
In June Kenmore State High School principal Paul Robertson (pictured) contacted parents after he caught wind of a poll being sent around to parents regarding the school’s uniform policy
However Sara said her husband attended a recent P&C meeting where the quality of the socks were being taken into consideration and they were informed students wouldn’t receive detention if the did not have them.
‘All students will be expected to be in our (formal) uniform each and every day unless they have a practical lesson such as HPE, sport, or dance for example, in which case they can wear their sport uniform for the day,’ Mr Robertson wrote in a newsletter.
The move was in response to parents concerns the school was not being clear in its uniform policy.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kenmore State High School for comment.
*Last name withheld by publication.
Fed up students have now organised a protest where hundreds of kids are expected to turn up to class in generic white socks