Parent backlash at new $95 hat for Brisbane boys’ school

A new felt hat that must be worn at this well-known Brisbane boys’ school has some parents fired up, costing four times that of existing hats. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Parents at Marist College Ashgrove have vented their anger at news that they will have to fork out $95 next year for new school hats which some say are unnecessary and unsuited to Brisbane’s climate.

Administrators had to turn off comments on a parents’ Facebook page after a deluge of complaints, including that the formal hats are not washable as they are made of felt.

The school will allow students to remove them when it rains, as untreated felt does not withstand water well.

The cost — about four times that of existing hats ($22), or a total of nearly $170,000 across the entire student population — has angered some.

Special hat racks will also have to be installed at every student’s locker to store them.

The old formal hat from years gone by.

Uniform policies at some westside schools have been controversial in recent years, including at nearby The Gap State High School and also Kenmore State High School, with complaints about expensive or uncomfortable new uniforms

The new hat.

Some parents at the highly-regarded Catholic boys’ school in Brisbane’s inner-west said the traditional hats were fine and queried why a new design was needed.

Although MCA fees range from about $9000 to $12,000, depending on year level, many students are on scholarships or their parents have made sacrifices to pay for a quality Catholic education for their boys.

Principal Michael Newman acknowledged change could be difficult but said the school had consulted widely on the new hat.

“Last week, we announced that the College would be reintroducing its traditional formal hat, after an open forum with the Marist Parents and Friends Association, and extensive consultation through a full college parent survey, Old Boys Committee, staff, college leadership, and College board,’’ Mr Newman said.

“We recognise that change is difficult, and we understand this, however we are excited about the positive change occurring at the College.”

Parents received an email on Friday informing them that the new hats would be introduced in stages next year, beginning in term 1 for years 5, 7 and 11.

Years 6 and 8 will be required to wear them to and from school and on formal occasions, from term 2.

Years 9 and 10 would have to comply from term 3.

The changes would be staggered to help parents with more than one boy at the school.

Year 12 students would be the only ones with the option to wear either the new or the old hat.

The email to parents said some in the school community had commented that “the (existing) College hat is disgraceful’’ and that “they bring the look of the uniform down’’.

Others commented that “making the uniform more expensive won’t improve parent satisfaction’’ and “don’t change the hat that has been around for a long time and does the job’’.

Hats at some leading private schools cost roughly the same as the new felt hat.

Brisbane Boys’ College in Toowong charges $95 for its boater, Toowoomba Grammar School charges $100 for its Akubra, Mt Maria College in Mitchelton (MCA’s sister school) charges $70 for its felt hat and Stuartholme School, a girls’ school in Toowong, charges $90 for its formal hat.

Ashgrove West Drapery, which stocks many school uniforms, charges from $50 for MCA trousers, from $20 for belts, from $40 for MCA shorts and about $11 for socks.

MCA’s uniform shop was closed last year and uniforms must now be bought through Australian-owned school uniform manufacturer Alinta, or a limited number of shops such as Ashgrove West Drapery.

Some parents said they would have supported the new hats if any profits had gone back to the school via the uniform shop.

Parents said they were unaware of whether alternative, cheaper designs were explored and the first they became aware of the new hats was when they were included on a P&C agenda about a month ago.

WHAT THE PARENTS SAID ONLINE

• “All that is needed is that the boys come out of Marist well rounded young men and have the academic requirements they need for their next journey, which should be the main focus not new bloody hats.”
• “Custom build hat shelves on the lockers.”
• “I would definitely prefer not to buy another hat as I’ve bought my son two already and his look fine.”
• “I feel for those families who have 2-3 boys (or more!) and find themselves replacing hats regularly throughout the year.”
• “New felt hats for all students?? Seriously? Hats that cannot be cleaned, clearly labelled, are not to be used in rainy weather, need special storage built at the school and are three times the price.”
• “I must have missed the flyer to provide input ... definitely would have gone against it at that price.”