help, i don't get it!!!

ok, just talked to a teacher here about what clothes we can and can't wear to school, and also about what students are allowed to wear. i'm now even more concerned about the winter, and also about the sanity of japanese people.

first, i present the conditions (maybe next month through february):

below 0 degrees Celsius = below 30 degrees F
classrooms are not heated

students:
must wear: school uniforms which includes collared shirt, blazer, skirt & tie for girls, slacks for boys
can wear (under uniform if not visible): long underwear, sweater, tights, carry hand warmers
cannot wear: hats, caps, scarves, earmuffs, overcoats, anything over the uniform, or anything else that would keep you reasonably warm for that matter.

teachers:

cannot wear: see "cannot wear" list above + anything else you think you'd want to be wearing in below freezing temperatures.

can wear: "office" clothes-- sweaters, collared shirts, skirts, slacks, short jackets, etc., and lab coats**

**ok. what?!! this is the thing i don't get. aside from not being able to wear the clothes that would keep you warm the most, ie. hats, scarves, coats, ski masks, gloves... (i just asked mitsue sensei if we could wear gloves and she said "in the school? no way!"), but anyway, you can't wear those, but you CAN wear (and some teachers ARE now wearing) lab coats, which seems to me way more casual (and cold) than a nice overcoat. you CAN wear a lab coat because "it looks like a researcher or doctor" (that's exactly what they told me). yes, i am going to order one. yes, i'll try and take a picture.

alright so right now i'm a little irritated at all this because i just can't make sense of it. having students be in uniform is one thing, but if they're going to be all cold?! if schools won't (or just can't afford) proper heating for classrooms, i don't see why they can't at least issue students all matching hats, scarves, and gloves. they'd still be all matchy and they won't be cold. they said the girls often will bring those self-heating packets and just be squeezing them in their hands the whole class period because their hands are so cold. sheesh. for such an advanced society, they sure have some nutty rules they impose upon themselves. yes, they're doing this to themselves! this is going right up there with the never-ending shoe changing.

am i totally crazy here? please let me know if i am. grr... i'm gonna go read read my book and chill for a bit (or freeze if it was up to them). oh so bitter...