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

Short skirts at school are not appropriate. It's not a fashion show, it's a place to learn. But I do think parents have a role to play in this. I live near a primary school and this morning I saw a year 6 girl wearing a very short flouncy skirt that barely covered her backside. Coupled with black tights and boots with a 2-3 inch heel!! Outside of school, not a problem, but uniform exists for a reason.

Yes, I'm sure self-respect and dignity were mentioned in our letter shovetheholly.

I wish I could find it - it was very well put together.

Emo culture not who culture

Let the girls wear trousers then.

Change the uniform so that skirts are optional and then let the girls wear trousers. If boys want to start wearing skirts then let them to that either.

The reasons given to the girls at assembly in this case are very frustrating. I can't understand how this is still happening in 2017.

So something along the lines of this would be way better-

Dear Parents,

Please ensure your DDs are not wearing bum skimming skirts for school as it implies they have no dignity or self worth.

Many thanks

School

If the environment is opening the girls to sexual harassment then it needs to change. In particular, of my daughter was at that school I'd want to know which teachers were incapable of controlling their
perving over teenage girls

I would take a bet that none of the teachers were "perving" over the girls and that it was just a very stupid choice of words by whoever was taking that assembly. I would be furious if I were a male member of staff at that school at the implications of what was being said - how insulting.

I just hate that word "perving" - I once accidentally bumped into a teenage boy at my last school (I was a woman in my 50s) and when I apologised he called me a perv. It's just such an easy insult to throw. Still annoys me now - I took it up with him and he called me a paedo, so the whole thing ended up escalating - he ended up having to apologise.

Well then why does it happen at all girls schools too then.

Is this an all girls school where they teleport directly from home to school or one where they travel in public?

At no point has the OP said nor has school said the teachers sexualise the girls.

There is a MASSIVE difference between sexualise and inappropriate, more so in a school setting, it's not a beach party, it's a learning environment!

YANBU

Girls should wear the correct uniform because that is what you wear to school. They are not in a situation where you can dress how you like. It's fine for the school to enforce their uniform policy.

It is NOT fine for the school to be making girls responsible for the feelings or behaviour of the boys. Even more wrong to tell girls that they are responsible for adult men perving over them.

I went to an all girls school and this still happened. Well it did in the lower school anyway (short skirts, tiny ties). In the upper school the opposite happened, it was like there was an unofficial memo at the start of Year 10 to wear a skirt so long the bottom dragged along the floor and a tie that showed underneath your jumper (it was the 90s, who culture was big in our school).

As the wife of a male teacher I know he is very uncomfortable with the length of some girls skirts. he says he has no wish to see anyones underwear, male or female and hates being put in a situation where he could be accused of looking at what he shouldn't be when in reality short of walking around with his eyes closed there is little he can do.

In his eyes these girls are children, he says that even 6th formers have such an immaturity about them that he can't understand how anyone of his age could find them attractive but the distraction lies in the trying to avoid seeing things that are blatantly on show because of what accusations might be made, not of what a male teacher is actually feeling.

I'd suggest to the head that any male teacher who is sexualising teen girls due to their school uniform is let go immediately as they are creating an unsafe environment.

I'd suggest that you learn the difference between sexualising girls and being made to feel uncomfortable and also that you read the comments from female teachers on this thread.

I agree with you that the reasons given are all wrong.

At DS2's school, they have basically said the same - there is no official school skirt, but they want knee length or longer. They have however given the reason as encouraging the pupils to dress as if they were going to work in an office, not a social setting. They want them to look smart and professional as a way of preparing for the world of work, including work experience.

For the girls it basically rules out mini skirts and very tight blouses - or blouses with low cut fronts. For boys it means smart black trousers & white shirts - no trying to get away with black jeans & fashion tops. For both sexes they require proper black shoes "of a business type" & not the pumps/vans type shoes that have sneaked in over the years (previous rules just stated "black shoes" which was open to interpretation!)

The actual letter from the school explaining the uniform rule changes was worded much better than I have explained, but unfortunately I can't find it now! It made great sense though. Much more so than "don't distract the male teachers" .

"Distracting the boys" - oh PURLEASE.

This is disgraceful. I would go ballistic. The lesson needs to be about self-worth and dignity, not about the poor boys who are being "disadvantaged" by a few short skirts.

I was one of those students who rolled their skirt up. We all did it back then. It was an all girls school but we where still chastised and made to roll it back down. We had uniform checks everyday at assembly, sometimes the skirts where even measured with a ruler
I don't think I participated in this sport for attention from the lads, it was about fashion.

Well then why does it happen at all girls schools too then.

I was never interested in boys at school I'd have still chosen a short skirt over the monstrosities i was made to wear...

if the school wrote home and basically victim blamed for the fact the male teachers couldn't contain their erections with children.

That is not what they said though it is?

I'd suggest to the head that any male teacher who is sexualising teen girls due to their school uniform is let go immediately as they are creating an unsafe environment.

Why are you assuming it's because they are trying to attract men.

Why else would they wear skirts short enough to show underwear?

Is it not possible for a girl to do something because she likes to without it needing to be "for" somebody.

As is being continually pointed out, no decision is made in a vacuum.

Skimpy clothing is designed to show off the body. In the case of teen girls, it would be to look good in front of the boys.

How many arse skimming skirts are worn for comfort?

if the boys and male teachers came to school in those horrible tight short shorts with visible bulges would that be ok?

no it wouldnt. so neither are mini/micro skirts

That wording is shocking - they should have said it broke school rules and many are dressing inappropriately for a school setting or workplace. I think complaining about the wording to school would be appropriate.

Having said that it's a real issue at DD1 secondary - and it seem to put pressure on younger ones to roll skirts up as normal skirts one that meet uniform guild lines are judged negatively by others - though longer pencil skirts DD1 is now favouring seem acceptable but she only in yr7 - seems worse with older girls.

I walk younger children to school and pass students on way to secondary - and all the young girls see to be in skint tight trousers - DD1 said that she heard many are leggings not trousers - and short skirts. One girls we got stuck behind had a skirt so short it just covered her arse cheeks was bloody tight as well and no tights - only place that would be acceptable is a night club. It's against the school uniform rules but they don't seem to be enforcing them.

Nearly every school I know allows girls to wear trousers or a skirt - it's just that some girls choose to wear a skirt. I don't know if they would allow boys to wear a skirt though.

"Uniform must be purchased from the official shop because all pupils must wear regulation clothes" - okay.

"Uniform must be purchased from the official shop because the males of the school are distracted by legs, and therefore the females must modify their behaviour" - not okay.

My school found a simple (but horrifying for us) way around the skirts rolled up to just under our bums epidemic. They changed the uniform to culottes! Oh the shame!