Poll: Do you support banning school jackets in the classroom?
High school students are too cold to learn because they have to remove their jackets in class, parents say.
The students, at Auckland’s Mount Albert Grammar School, are prohibited from wearing their jackets – which are optional to buy as part of their school uniform and cost $98 – inside.
Stuff understands this is because of the rustling noise the jacket makes, which has been deemed distracting in class, but was unable to reach the board of trustees for confirmation.
Instead, the students are allowed to wear a jersey, which costs $98, or a cardigan, which costs $120, in class.
Parent Tracy Kelly-Hunt said the rule is depriving children of their basic need of warmth, reflected in Maslow's hierachy of needs.
“According to my daughter most of the older rooms are cold – a new TV is bought but not heating."
The woollen school jumper is uncomfortable and itchy to wear, said the social work student at Auckland University.
Kelly-Hunt said the uniform was so expensive she had to buy it secondhand, and other parents had to borrow money from the Ministry of Social Development to pay for it.
“Why are they charging that amount for a uniform and our kids have got to take that jacket off and be cold in the classroom, and they’re not going to learn anything?”
Fellow parent Emily Hall said her 15-year-old son does not wear a jacket to school because of the rule.
He has no locker and his bag is always full, so he has nowhere to put a jacket, she said.
“As a parent, I am really annoyed that I spent a lot of money for a jacket he does not feel he can wear.”
Hall said she finds it insulting that students are having their clothing micro-managed.
Deputy head boy Tali Meavale said students have to remove their jackets because on rainy days, the clothing could be wet and damp, leading to them getting sick.
There are also problems with students sweating in their jackets at lunchtime, making them smell, he said.
Teachers in the small number of classrooms that aren’t heated are lenient, and “allow students to wear their jackets for half the period”, the 17-year-old said.
“We offer jerseys here at MAGS as well as scarves, and I understand some students can’t afford it, but we also offer help for these students.”
Mount Albert Grammar School principal Patrick Drumm said he had not received any complaints about the jackets.
The uniform was approved by the board of trustees and had not changed for many years, he said.
“Certainly if it's a serious enough issue, I'd expect and welcome parents to make contact through the normal processes.”
In June 2020, West Auckland’s Avondale College changed its policy to allow students to wear their outdoor jackets inside the classroom.
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
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5.7% Yes
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90.6% No
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1.9% Neutral
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1.9% Unsure- it's a complex issue.
Charities turning away high numbers of volunteer applications
Charities are turning away people wanting to volunteer amidst a flood of interest they say is linked to the high rate of unemployment.
It comes as some businesses receive thousands of applications for paid roles and people look for experience anywhere they can.
The advocacy organisation Volunteering NZ has been tracking the trend. Spokesperson Margaret McLachlan said there has been a considerable rise in applications for volunteer roles across a range of charities.
Many application forms asks people to divulge if they are job hunters.
"Over the last year or so, they are seeing more people coming in who are saying they are in that category. They are looking for work but doing volunteering while that process is taking place."
"As unemployment increases and the cost of living, times are tougher for everybody."
At the same time, she said community organisations supporting social services were busier and needed more helpers.
McLachlan said depending on the organisation, they might want to do a police check, a reference check and an interview.
"In some cases it can be a process to go through and not always, and that can take some time.
"It's actually the same barriers that a person might find in finding a job, can also apply to volunteering. It's not always a easy option."
SPCA had 120 op shops and animal rescue centres across the country in which volunteers worked.
General manager of retail Cathy Crichton said they received about 1300 extra applications for volunteer roles, a 32 percent increase, from June to November 2025, compared to 2024.
"There's definitely a nudge forward which is very exciting and we're very grateful."
But it meant they were not accepting any more volunteers in some areas.
"Because the applications are up it's a unique scenario. But at this point in time, in smaller locations, we've actually got a hold in 19 locations in New Zealand where we are at capacity - and that's very rare and it's a very new trend."
Crichton said anyone seeking volunteer work should think creatively about what skills they can offer - it could be in administration or marketing.
"We'd love to welcome as many people as we could because the more hands on deck the more we can do and the more we can contribute to the community."
She said people were self-motivated to apply for volunteer work.
The unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in the September quarter, meaning 160,000 people were jobless. The next quarterly figures are out in February.
"There's a willingness to give back and contribute to the community. Unemployment being high really does encourage people to engage with the workforce and get experience," Crichton said.
"It really is about staying connected with the community and meeting others."
She said they had also seen an increase in young people seeking volunteer work experience.
"It's a great opportunity to get work experience and a reference and there's an appeal there as an employer...I really do think it adds value to a CV."
Stats NZ data showed over half of New Zealanders, 53 percent, volunteered during March 2025 and of those, 27.6 percent volunteered through an organisation and 40.8 percent volunteered directly for another person.
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The best board games to play (and gift) this summer
Over the holiday period, the right game can make all the difference. So which board games should you try out – and which ones should you gift?
1. Sushi Go Party
This colourful, fast-paced game has great art, and a "menu" that can be changed depending on the number of players (up to eight) and their familiarity with the game.
Players win the game by creating the best combination of cards, depending on what's available, by rotating the cards from player to player like a sushi train. It's easy to learn and relatively cheap.
2. Wavelength
In this party game, teams have to try and guess the location of a hidden target on a spectrum, using a clue from one "psychic" team member. The ends of the spectrum reflect two binaries, such as hot–cold or optional–mandatory, and the target falls somewhere in between.
The closer the team gets to where the psychic thinks the target should go, the more points they score. Wavelength is one of those games where no matter if your team gets it right or wrong, you can expect people to give their two cents.
3. Mysterium and Mysterium Park
In these team games, players play mediums seeking the counsel of another player – a ghost – who gives them clues to important information about murders in the house, including the ghost’s own murder.
The ghost offers the other players tarot cards with abstract artwork with which they must attempt to discern the murder weapon, location and culprit.
4. The Quacks of Quedlinburg
This game sees players take the role of potion makers at the local fair, who must push their luck by drawing ingredients out of a bag to make the best potions without them blowing up in their face. It’s simple to teach and hilarious when someone else blows up their cauldron (although arguably less when it’s you).
5. Modern Art
This is one of the most celebrated games from board game designer luminary Reiner Knizia. Players are art dealers auctioning off beautiful paintings done by five professional artists. Players might even forget to play as they get caught up in simply admiring the pieces they are auctioning off.
Modern Art remains a fiendishly clever game that is easy to learn but hard to master.
6. Heat: Pedal to the Metal
This strategic racing game is based on 1960s Formula 1 racing. The base game boasts four tracks on two gorgeous boards, and lovely little cars that pass each other and risk spinning out around corners.
7. Nemesis
By far the most expensive (and complicated) game on this list, Nemesis can best be described as Alien: the board game.
Players have to move through a spaceship, discovering rooms and items as they go, taking care not to alert the horrific extraterrestrials that have managed to get onto the ship – represented by amazingly designed pieces. It’s a truly tense and fun experience for a full afternoon.
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Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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