Freezing weather, PE indoors

[digbies]

I've been lurking and just reading messages for ages, but I've finally registered so that I can have a rant!

My DD is in her 2nd year at secondary school and has games timetabled every Monday, so she went off this morning with her hockey gear. When I met he this evening I asked if she'd done hockey today, considering that the pitch was probably frozen. Thankfully she said no, but what she told me then shocked and annoyed me.

Apparently the whole class had changed and were redy when the teacher arrived late and tod them they'd be indoors doing gymnastics instead. She got the girls to remove their boots, put on their school shoes and walk to the gym, where they took their shoes off and went into the gym. The teacher then told the girls to take their socks off so they were barefoot, but also to remove their skirts !

Apparently the teacher said that skirts were dangerous in the gym with the apparatus, and wasn't moved by the fact that quite a few girls, my dd included, weren't wearing their gym knickers beneath their skirts. I'm right to be angry about this, aren't I?

[piscesmoon]

I think at that age you are right to be angry.

[littlerach]

I can remember the shame of doing gym in navy blue knickers, and if you didn't have them then you wore your normal ones.

I htink we were told the skirts could get caught on apparatus too.

[digbies]

And what did you think when you had to do PE in your pants, littlerach?

[lazymumofteenagesons]

not sure about that last question. Alarm bells are ringing.

[digbies]

lazy, I was driving at whether rach hated the experience, as I think many of the girls in DD's class did.

[digbies]

but i can see how i sounded a bit strange!

[sunnygirl1412]

As I've said on the other thread, I don't think this is acceptable, and I'd be complaining to the headteacher.

[bustle]

We always had to wear PE knickers under our skirts anyway, whatever sport we were doing. Don't they do that anymore?

[littlerach]

Sorry, been cooking!

Um, they were part of the uniform so we mostly had them. I don't think I ever did it in my normal pants. But I hated even wearing the navy blue ones, they were hideous.

[kris007]

Horrible!I would go directly to the head and inform him/her that your DD and the other girls in her class were subjected to a form of sexual humiliation and assault during the PE class, and that unless immediate action is taken against the teacher in question, you will be taking the matter further with the Governors, the LEA and Child Services (with the follow-up threat of an interview with the local press - they'd eat up this kind of story). This type of conduct may have been acceptable 15 or 20 years ago - today it is absolutely unacceptable and actionable.

[nappyaddict]

Well the teacher probably presumed the girls had shorts or gym knickers on under their skirts like they are supposed to. did none of the girls say erm miss i haven't got anything under my skirt can i keep it on?

[digbies]

Several of the girls pointed out to the teacher that they weren't wearing their gym knickers, but were dismissed by the teacher. So she was fully aware of the girls' situation when she made her decision. I'm waiting for a call back from the teacher involved later today.

[digbies]

I got off the phone with the teacher a few minutes ago. What DD told me yesterday was accurate. The teacher confirmed that the girls were told to remove their socks and go barefoot, and that she told them all to remove their skirts. I asked if DD and others told her they weren't wearing gym knickers, and she confirmed that they did tell her, but that she considered it wasn't a reason not to do the lesson. I told her that I found it inappropriate and unacceptable to make girls of that age do PE in their pants - she said she appreciated my point of view and hoped that it wouldn't be necessary again. I don't think that this was really the point!

[ThePellyandMe]

God I can remember the shame of having to do PE in gym knickers and t shirt in school, very shocked that girls had to do it in their underwear. There really is no excuse for that is there?

[nappyaddict]

At that age I wearing thongs. I would have been sooooooooooo embarrassed at having to do PE in my underwear.

[digbies]

Luckily for DD, at 12 years old there's no way I'd allow her to wear a thong! She still has good old fashioned white cotton pants from M&S!

[nappyaddict]

That's what my mum thought. I used to buy them myself with birthday, xmas and pocket money then handwash them in the bathroom sink and hang them out of my window to try

[seeker]

I am horrified to find myself thinking - why on earth weren't they doing PE outside - it was only a bit chilly, not blowing a gale or pouring with rain!

[nappyaddict]

How can they play hockey in the ice and snow!

[seeker]

I'm hard, me. Actually, so is dd's school!

[digbies]

The frozen pitches meant that stud's wouldn't get a grip in the turf.

[pat2009]

I'm sorry, I have just read through this and it is a complete load of rubbish. No school in the land would force a 12-year-old girl to wear her underwear in a p.e lesson or they would be closed down by the inspectors. I suspect the originator of this 'debate' is a single adult man with a worrying fantasy/fetish who gets turned on by comments about young girls in gym knickers and bare feet. OK, if you're not then name the school and let's see if it (and you) are for real

[digbies]

Pat, thanks for your post. Apart from the fact that inspectors (OFSTED?) can't close a school, I certainly won't be naming DD's school. For all I know, YOU could be a "single adult man with a worrying fantasy/fetish". I'm sure you'll understand that I am not prepared to disclose personal information such as this is a public forum.

[Cammelia]

digbies, is your dd's school private or state?

[digbies]

Private.