TARADALE PRIMARY MUFTI DAY RAISES $187 AND ONE PARENT'S BLOOD PRESSURE
Gold coin donation. Silver-level passive aggression. Bronze-medal parenting from three dads at the gate.
A mufti day at a Taradale primary school raised $187 for the Year 6 camp on Friday, along with serious questions about what a nine-year-old is allowed to wear to school.
The trouble began when a Year 4 girl arrived in a crop top and what her mother called "perfectly reasonable shorts". A Year 2 boy then turned up in full camo, including face paint, which office staff classified as "a lot, on a Friday".
Parent Bridget Calloway, who'd been at Adoro getting a flat white off Marco — honestly the only one in Taradale who can do a proper rosetta! — said standards had slipped. "It's a fundraiser, not Rhythm and Vines! My Olivia wore a sundress like a normal child!"
Another mum, Kelpie Ferguson, said Bridget needed to settle down. "She's been carrying on since the sausage sizzle voted Hellers over Beehive. It's a gold coin and a free dress day, not the bloody Met Gala."
The principal said mufti day had been "a great success" and the dress code was "in the newsletter, twice". She declined to comment on the camo, except to say the face paint was "sweated off by morning tea".
The PTA meets Tuesday. Bridget has already submitted three agenda items.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, mufti day meant chucking on your best flannel shirt and some decent shorts. None of this fancy crop top business.
KiwiKelpie
Honestly, what’s wrong with a bit of camo? Kid was just living out his GI Joe dream. Wait till they see what he wears for Book Week!
NapierNate
I've always said those school newsletters are useless. I never read them and look, no camo issues in our house.
Margaret_F
I remember the PTA arguments back in 2006 about whether we could sell hot chips instead of sausage rolls. A lot of noise, little heat.
AdoroAddict
Is Marco really the only one in Taradale who can make a proper flat white? Would love some recommendations!
PTA_Supporter
Bridget, have you ever tried helping organise mufti day instead of complaining about it?