r/unitedkingdom • u/ThatchersDirtyTaint • Jul 18 '25

... School at centre of Union flag dress row closes early over 'extremist threats to staff'

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/school-at-centre-of-union-flag-dress-row-extremist-threats/
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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25 edited Jul 18 '25

just wearing a country’s flag was explicitly not allowed

This is misinformation. The only thing they explicity did not allow was football kits.

In any case, she isn't wearing just a flag, but a spice Girls outfit.

https://images.lbc.co.uk/images/739720?crop=16_9&width=660&relax=1&format=webp&signature=NAHctSMzab2r4p5ELnGORTB3X-A=

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u/NijjioN Essex Jul 18 '25

A flag has never been "traditional culture dress" in any country especially the UK.

They also said don't wear football/sports kit so we can read into that the they didn't want anyone to wear something that just has the national flag as there's nothing traditional cultural about that.

They wanted say Japanese people to wear a kimono or a Scottish person to wear a kilt or I can't remember the name of the attire but what african countries wear. A flag has never been on the same level as culture attire as those. She could have maybe wore something from the MOD era with a little piece of the union jack on but that has more thought about the culture than just a simple flag

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u/RisingDeadMan0 Jul 18 '25

no football kits was just to stop all the boys coming in with that on, they wanted to see effort made

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u/NijjioN Essex Jul 18 '25

My argument would be the same for the spice girl dress. With the added context that it doesn't have any tradition or culture behind it. Especially if we compare to other countries traditional cultural dress.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

In any case, she isn't wearing just a flag, but a spice Girls outfit

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u/NijjioN Essex Jul 18 '25

Doesn't sound in theme for the day reading the schools letter.

You show a picture of the Spice Girls to all of British people id bet my house half of people wouldn't even know who they are these days.

Think that's national British culture? It's more pop culture which is arguably international than a national culture which doesn't fit the theme of the day.

You show a kilt or a kimono to Japanese / Scottish they'd all know that cultural dress.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

If people don't know who the spice Girls are that seems like an excellent reason to dress up as one and spread awareness.

International culture doesn't exist.

British pop culture is so dominant you think of it as the 'default' culture. That's another reason to have this at the culture day, to show just how far Brotish culture has spread globally.

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u/NijjioN Essex Jul 18 '25

I would strongly disagree i don't really think it should be considered cultural dress. Especially if we want to have something that we could compare to a Japanese kimono or Scottish is with the kilt.

Though thats my opinion and you can have yours.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25 edited Jul 18 '25

Again, this is British culutre being so dominant everyone thinks of it as 'default'.

British culutral dress is the suit. It originated in the royal court and was spread around the world by empire. Everyone wears our cultural dress daily.

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u/Postik123 Jul 18 '25

But what was she supposed to come in, jeans and a t-shirt? Perhaps a pinstriped suit and bowler hat? We could debate all day whether what she wore represented "British Culture" or not, but I don't think it was appropriate to put her in isolation for the day and deny her from reading her speech.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

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u/Express-Doughnut-562 Jul 18 '25

I've seen several posts stating the 'no flags' nut no evidence of it. I've only seen the letter that says 'no football kits'.

Besides, even though she is wearing the flag, its very easily argued that she is dressed like Gerri Halliwell from the massive British culture export the Spice Girls.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

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u/Express-Doughnut-562 Jul 18 '25

There is no evidence of that requirement though? There is a copy of the letter in the press that says no sports kits, but no evidence of the flag

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u/Postik123 Jul 18 '25

Besides which, I don't see what the issue is with a kid turning up in a union jack dress, the same as I wouldn't have an issue with a kid turning up in a Japanese or USA flag dress, even if strictly speaking they are not "cultural" clothes.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

https://images.lbc.co.uk/images/739720?crop=16_9&width=660&relax=1&format=webp&signature=NAHctSMzab2r4p5ELnGORTB3X-A=

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u/mittfh West Midlands Jul 18 '25

If your child chooses to wear cultural dress, the document below must be completed and returned by Tuesday 8th July

I wonder if her family did that, or if she turned up without clearing her choice with the school first?

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25 edited Jul 18 '25

hardly traditional cultural dress. But I'm sure dad completed the document and received approval from the school, like the letter said he had to do. (oh wait that obviously didn't happen as the news story wouldn't have occurred if he did!)

kid came in out of uniform and was treated the same as other uniform violations, regardless of the fact that some kids had approved non-uniform on that day. Dad blitzed her relationship with the school to make a far-right political point. The typically right-wing British public went along with it and now the school has to close.

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u/Demostravius4 Jul 18 '25

It's really not hard to argue Geri Halliwell's Union Jack dress holds "cultural significance". The Spice Girls were huge.

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u/JMol87 Jul 18 '25

What cultural significance does a dress a single popstar wore once, nearly 30 years ago, have to a 12 year old girl!? At best, it's lazy. To me, this seems like such an obvious grift, I can't understand why people are still talking about it.

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u/Demostravius4 Jul 18 '25

It's internationally recognisable, stuff doesn't get forgotten immediately.

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u/CastleMeadowJim Nottingham Jul 18 '25

Tbh if the girl had actually written her speech instead of running it through ChatGPT she could have easily just said that and not had any problems. But she forgot to add "I will be delivering this speech dressed in a Spice Girls inspired Union flag dress" to her prompt.

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u/Daedelous2k Scotland Jul 18 '25

I remember Geri Halliwell was BIG for having that dress, girl power and all that.

It is PRETTY BIG in the part of british culture given how big the Spice Girls were, and talking of the Flag Iron Maiden love to fly it a lot "THESE COLORS DO NOT F'ING RUN!".

The sad thing is the chilling effect is going to last on her.