OLD SCHOOL TIE

 76Phyl still at Primary Originally uploaded by PhylB

Give me strength! First of all the whole health and safety business just does my head in - I had to wear one of these stupid pieces of historical nonsense round my neck for fully 13 years and never once did I accidentally hang myself or set myself on fire despite doing chemistry all the way through to age 17, so needing to swap them for clip-ons is ludicrous, but on that note - if they are going to replace them, why don't they replace them with no tie!? It's 2009 for god's sake! I have worked in industry for 18 years. Directors and Managing directors don't wear ties any more, you don't need one for an interview for the most part. In fact except for a few stuffy, traditional jobs most men will never wear a tie in their life apart from weddings and funerals. And if only 10% of men ever wear one, I would go as far as to say 100% of women will never wear one so why do we still insist on making school children wear them in this country? Marcel starts high school after the summer break and will be forced into one of these for the first time in his life. For his whole seven years at primary he has worn a smart but functional school jumper to define he is a member of his primary school community with no need for a tie. Why can't high schools go down the same path? I'd be much happier to see him in a red and black sweatshirt with Mearns Castle's logo on for the next six years than a cold white shirt and red tie even on the snowiest of mornings. Whoever thinks white dress shirts make 12 year old boys look smart has never come in contact with a 12 year old boy! It's just archaic!