Madam,

Further to Patrick O’Brien’s very welcome column on the question of ‘uniforms’ at Penglais School (‘Ysgol Penglais pupils deserve an apology without reservation’, 28 September), may I offer two pieces of practical advice to the head teacher’s victims?

If your head teacher doesn’t like the colour of your shoes, take them off. You would have an excellent precedent. Miss Anscombe, at the time professor of philosophy at Cambridge University, was refused entry to a restaurant in New York when she turned up wearing trousers (as she always did). “I’m sorry madam, we don’t allow entrance to women in trousers.” “Oh, that’s all right’, she said. ‘No trouble at all,’ and took them off.

If you are worried about your feet getting cold, take the precaution of having on some thick, warm socks, preferably black, since that it is the colour your head teacher prefers.

If she tries to keep you in, don’t let her. She would hardly dare lock you in. If she does, call the police on your mobile phone. If the door isn’t locked, then just turn the handle and go home.

All she can do is try to expel you. Warn her that, is she does, you will appeal, as you have every right to do, to the full board of governors and call for her dismissal, on grounds of abuse of authority.

This will be excellent character-building for you, and a salutary warning to your head teacher not to behave like a petty dictator.

Bon courage!

Yours etc,

William Russell, Alpha Terrace, Cambridge.

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