Girls told to wear longer skirts at school because the boys are distracted and male teachers feel uncomfortable.

Not uncomfortable, horny ariawa.

i bet the female teachers and students dont want to see the skimpy underwear of a 15 year old girl too

Most probably, and yet that wasn't mentioned. Says a lot.

I think we are ignoring an elephant here: of course most 14/15 year old boys will feel aroused by the sight of girls' underwear. Of course they are entitled to feel uncomfortable about the fact that they feel aroused by this when, if they admit they are looking, they will be sanctioned for sexual harassment. That is incredibly unfair on the boys. It is in no way 'making the girls responsible for their feelings' to say that it is everyone's responsibility to dress decently.

This is the same reason we were given for wearing skirts no shorter than 1inch above the knee and we were not allowed to wear a white shirt with a coloured bra without a jumper or blazer. This was actually implemented by the senior mistress as she has a very low opinion of teenage boys, and, I found out later a very active feminist. Teaching both boys and girls about decorum is no bad thing. Much as I like the idea that girls and women should wear what they want without fear of unwanted attention that's not real life.

And it really doesn't matter if your sons are distracted because of their hormones! Smartphones would be banned if it was merely about distraction and I'm sorry but your sons will see miles of bum over the next few decades of his life... bestbhe learn to control himself

MrsPacMan
We used to have to kneel at assembly to show our skirts came to the correct length

Did you go to a school run by nuns too?

We used to have nuns with measuring tapes to make sure that the length from waistband to hemline was 'suitable' for wearing in school.

i believe if your behaviour makes someone feel uncomfortable, it is up to you to change that behaviour. otherwise you are victim blaming

YANBU.

DD's school had fairly regular reminders (in assembly/tutorial/ occasional letter) about sticking to the uniform, skirt length requirements and not 'rolling' skirts. It's an all girls' school - its not to do with boys, its that there's always some who want to bend the rules a bit. Same sort of stuff about top buttons, ties and 'natural hair colour'.

I don't think short skirts are appropriate in school. DD went to an all girls school so no boys to 'make uncomfortable' but they still had to wear skirt just above the knee. They can wear what they want how they want out of school but just as in the workplace, clothes for school shouldn't be really revealing. I think it sets the tone for learning that there are different standards in different settings.

The op has not said the school were wrong to ask the girls to stick to dress code, only that making the girls worry about the boys (and men's!) feelings was wrong!

Why is that difficult to grasp?

This shouldn't have been made into a male/female thing - that's where they went wrong - it is a common decency issue, and they (the school) need pulling up on this.

The girls are being sexually provocative by their choice of clothing. Boys and men should control their urges to respond, but girls and women should not put themselves on display at school.

It isn't just on stairs that short skirts are a liability. Have you been in a theatre-style assembly hall when a couple of hundred crotches are on view, as female pupils in short skirts sit without considering what is on display? Or, where the smart ones have brightly coloured lycra shorts protecting their modesty but flashing to the stage? Not a pretty sight. Any classroom with tables rather than old fashioned desks (most classrooms, that is) will be similar - if girls are relaxed they don't keep their knees together and in a short skirt, everything is on show.

Outraged 'she can wear what she likes' types should get over it. Staff and other students need to be able to get on with their day without seeing your dd's fannies.

We used to have to kneel at assembly to show our skirts came to the correct length.

I think you're being up in arms for the sake of it. It's not about telling girls that their bahaviour dictates male or female response, it's about telling them to make smart choices.

If you show your bum boobs knickers men/women will look. It's a learning environment and should be professional.

When I was last teaching all the girls did wear trousers but there was a fashion of trousers low, knickers high. I had to tell quite a few girls to adjust their clothing but I wouldn't have brought distracting males into it.

Yes I would think a male teacher would be very reluctant to point out a too short skirt as it confirms he has noticed it. Which he shouldn't be doing apparently.

i bet the female teachers and students dont want to see the skimpy underwear of a 15 year old girl too

YANBU.

Requesting that official uniform skirts be worn is not the problem. Enforcing uniform is not the problem.

The reason given IS the problem. In what they've said, the insinuation is that if the boys stare, it is the fault of the girls and the way they've dressed. It's a small thing that feeds into a much bigger thing; the idea that girls "ask for it" (unwanted attention, sexual harassment, assault and rape) because of what they're wearing. In a vacuum, such a discussion might not be such a huge problem.

In an age where rape culture is prevalent and victim-blaming even more so, it's a dangerous message to send.

This thread kind of proves the problem quite nicely with the male teachers being demonised and accused of having erections/lewd thoughts/sexualising teen girls, neatly ignoring the fact that female teachers also find it uncomfortable even though they have the option to tell a teen girl that their skirt is too short without being accused of being a sexual pervert/predator.

Very good points re trousers also.

I totally understand why any teacher wouldn't want to see this.

I wouldn't want to see it either. The remark was sexist because it only mentioned the male teachers implied that the girls are somehow responsible for their feelings.

Yanbu, and this is absolutely a sexist issue because that's what teaching girls they're responsible for male attitudes to their clothing is. You cannot possibly remove it from the societal context.

The school are quite right to enforce the uniform rules, for the reasons already mentioned. Workplace standards etc. That's what the rationale should've been and yes, you ought to discuss this with them. I would point out how inappropriate the talk was, whilst also assuring them that they have your full support wrt the uniform policy.

I am sure all the parents would be absolutely fine with that letter Pest.

Is the children allowed to wear trousers? OP

I have 3 secondary school near me, all 3 are allowed to wear trousers and skirts, about 80% of the girls CHOOSE to wear skirts. (They are actually quite nice)

I'm trying to answer without reference to the general consensus on the rest of the thread... I think it is inappropriate for teenage girls to wear skirts to school that to all intents and purposes force other people to look at their underwear. I have to look ahead of me on the stairs and I don't want to see their knickers. That doesn't make me a pervert. I don't want to see anyone's knickers.

Love it Sparkling