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AIBU?

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Should skirt length matter in secondary schools?

463 replies

Holdonforsummer · 19/06/2025 19:10

My daughter is 15 and in Year 10, she attends an all-girls comprehensive secondary school and they are obsessed with the girls’ skirt length. The skirt is like a tartan kilt and is supposed to be ‘on the knee’ but most of the girls roll their skirts to make them a bit shorter (think mid-thigh). I’m a bit on the fence about this but her school go on and on and on about it. They stop girls all the time, give detentions for short skirts, have assemblies about it, and have even been known to measure skirts and give girls long ones from the list property cupboard to wear instead. Yesterday, my daughter had just finished 5 hours of mock exams in 28 degrees and was walking home - outside school property - and was stopped by a teacher threatening detention even though she had left school. She came home furious and fed up of the whole thing. I can’t decide whether the girls just need to toe the line or whether behaviour from the school is bordering on a sexist, misogynistic obsession. YABU: the pupils need to obey the skirt rules, YANBU: The school should calm down and stop obsessing about skirt length.

OP posts:
CheekyBeaker · 21/06/2025 01:56

DoYouReally · 19/06/2025 19:13

Once they cover all areas, there should be no issue.

When arse checks begin to show, there's a problem.

Yup. It's not just a "race to the bottom" but can go beyond...

Wdfssda · 21/06/2025 00:55

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 22:43

She rolls her skirt. With knickers and tights underneath. It's a non issue for me. I care far more about other things. I'm a very good parent, just not the same as you. I don't slag people off that I don't know who don't agree with me either. Hope you are teaching your kids to be better than you

Shame on her then for dressing like that at school. All my kids dress appropriately for school. My son dressed smartly, my daughters wore their skirts sensibly and abided by the school rules and didn't roll up their skirts.

If DS started sagging at school or DDs wore their skirts too short I'd have a word with them and wouldn't be pleased. I wouldn't just blatantly allow it and be like "they can show them off if the y want to at school"

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 22:43

Wdfssda · 20/06/2025 22:34

The fact you haven't taught your daughter anything about dressing appropriately for setting shows you've failed as a parent. People would judge her older brother if he was sagging his trousers. A 14 year old should not be showing off her underwear at school

She rolls her skirt. With knickers and tights underneath. It's a non issue for me. I care far more about other things. I'm a very good parent, just not the same as you. I don't slag people off that I don't know who don't agree with me either. Hope you are teaching your kids to be better than you

Wdfssda · 20/06/2025 22:34

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:07

She's 14, not a baby. She doesn't need me sexualizing her skirt length and shaming her for having a female body. No one cares what her older brother wears
I'm sorry for you really, saying something like that. You don't know me at all. Don't crush your pearls

The fact you haven't taught your daughter anything about dressing appropriately for setting shows you've failed as a parent. People would judge her older brother if he was sagging his trousers. A 14 year old should not be showing off her underwear at school

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 21:43

Auroraloves · 20/06/2025 21:42

How has it gone from mid thigh length skirts to arses being on show (never seen it) to walking into school naked?

It hasn’t

Auroraloves · 20/06/2025 21:42

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 20:03

Yep, that’s DEFINITELY what’s happening here.

How has it gone from mid thigh length skirts to arses being on show (never seen it) to walking into school naked?

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 20/06/2025 21:19

Rolled up skirts and black knee high socks seems to be the uniform du jour where I live.

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 20:49

TheHateIsNotGood · 20/06/2025 20:13

@raffegiraffe curious to know what your son wears to school. Is a tie part of the uniform? That would be a symbol of his standing in the male hiearchy. Or perhaps he wears very short shorts, so short his 'bits' hang out for every paedo in the area to get their jollies whilst he walks to school.

Because by your reckoning it's fine for young girls so it must also be fine for boys to display their nether regions too.

I work with paedos. Guess what? It's not the clothes or skirts that attract them. Jeez you are dumb. I can't anymore.

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 20:26

PinkAndLelow · 20/06/2025 20:23

Yep, reaction formation, possible repressed identification and voyeuristic moralism.

You’ve got me banged to rights @raffegiraffe , sorry I mean @PinkAndLelow ….

PinkAndLelow · 20/06/2025 20:23

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 20:03

Yep, that’s DEFINITELY what’s happening here.

Yep, reaction formation, possible repressed identification and voyeuristic moralism.

TheHateIsNotGood · 20/06/2025 20:13

@raffegiraffe curious to know what your son wears to school. Is a tie part of the uniform? That would be a symbol of his standing in the male hiearchy. Or perhaps he wears very short shorts, so short his 'bits' hang out for every paedo in the area to get their jollies whilst he walks to school.

Because by your reckoning it's fine for young girls so it must also be fine for boys to display their nether regions too.

x2boys · 20/06/2025 20:10

TheFormidableMrsC · 20/06/2025 19:56

I desperately tried to roll my skirt at school, I was a young teen in the 80’s but it was a convent and strict. I get it. What I don’t get is the walking along with a skirt so short that you can see an almost entire arse or the tops and gusset of tights. There’s no need. It’s not a look. I see it every day at my son’s school and it’s just awful. If my daughter had tried to go out like that I would have stopped her but so many parents don’t. They need to have a bit of self respect.

Their parents probably don't know ,i used ti walk past a,teenage girl every day a few years back when my now 18 year old was at primary school
Her parents would drop her off at the bottom of the road and as soon as they were out of sight she took her Hijab ,off rolled her skirt up and put some make up on

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 20:03

PinkAndLelow · 20/06/2025 20:01

And here we have those posters who want to talk about naked girls.

People are so weird.

Yep, that’s DEFINITELY what’s happening here.

PinkAndLelow · 20/06/2025 20:01

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:47

You didn’t answer my question, Are you happy for your daughter to go to school naked?

And here we have those posters who want to talk about naked girls.

People are so weird.

TheFormidableMrsC · 20/06/2025 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

PinkAndLelow · 20/06/2025 19:58

Not this again!🤔😂

Everyone and their cousin is keen to gossip about teen girls' skirts, it's like the most popular topic here. I guess it suits judgy-pudgy middle aged women and creepy men of all ages so a catch all.

OP, if the students constantly get pulled up on their skirt length, I'd discourage your dd but doubt you'll have success. The teacher stopping her out of school was over the top and high on his or her power and probably grumpy their date cancelled on them.

TheFormidableMrsC · 20/06/2025 19:56

I desperately tried to roll my skirt at school, I was a young teen in the 80’s but it was a convent and strict. I get it. What I don’t get is the walking along with a skirt so short that you can see an almost entire arse or the tops and gusset of tights. There’s no need. It’s not a look. I see it every day at my son’s school and it’s just awful. If my daughter had tried to go out like that I would have stopped her but so many parents don’t. They need to have a bit of self respect.

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:54

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:49

I don't get this knickers stuff, or saying she is naked??!
You guys are so strange

What don’t you get? Girls are going to school with their skirts so short their knickers are on show. You have no problem with this as it’s ’her arse’. I asked you would allow your 14 year old daughter to go to school naked aswell as it’s her body to do with as she wishes if she finds it liberating. It’s a simple yes or no answer.

ArtTheClownIsNotAMime · 20/06/2025 19:51

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:49

I don't get this knickers stuff, or saying she is naked??!
You guys are so strange

Being happy for your teenaged daughter to show her knickers at school is extremely strange.

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:49

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:44

Telling your daughter to keep her knickers private is not sexualising her skirt length or shaming her for having a female body, it’s basic parenting.

I don't get this knickers stuff, or saying she is naked??!
You guys are so strange

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:47

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:44

We are. We are the same people wearing either skirts or trousers. How do we change?

You didn’t answer my question, Are you happy for your daughter to go to school naked?

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:44

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:38

Actually you’re not as trousers don’t show your bare arse. I’m not talking about a mini skirt with tights, I’m talking about bare legs with the bottom of their arse cheeks out at school. If you think it’s fine to let your daughter expose her arse at school then I assume you’re just as happy for her to go in naked aswell. Down with the patriarchy eh?

Edited

We are. We are the same people wearing either skirts or trousers. How do we change?

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:44

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 19:07

She's 14, not a baby. She doesn't need me sexualizing her skirt length and shaming her for having a female body. No one cares what her older brother wears
I'm sorry for you really, saying something like that. You don't know me at all. Don't crush your pearls

Telling your daughter to keep her knickers private is not sexualising her skirt length or shaming her for having a female body, it’s basic parenting.

CorbyTrouserPress · 20/06/2025 19:38

raffegiraffe · 20/06/2025 18:37

It's her arse. She can do what she wants with it, as can you with yours. She is not saying fuck me, and anyone who thinks she is has the problem. You can equate it to my character, or her's, if you like. But we are the same today in shorts and skirts as we were yesterday in trousers

Actually you’re not as trousers don’t show your bare arse. I’m not talking about a mini skirt with tights, I’m talking about bare legs with the bottom of their arse cheeks out at school. If you think it’s fine to let your daughter expose her arse at school then I assume you’re just as happy for her to go in naked aswell. Down with the patriarchy eh?

Adarajames · 20/06/2025 19:32

Yup seems almost all the school kids are rolling their skirts to an indecent level. Have been invigilating so rows of kids sitting facing us, and I avoid sitting when in front of them all as their skirts are rolled so high when you look from front all
you can see is rows of underwear on show! They really do push it to the limit, barely cover their butts and often fail to do so fully but can’t mention it or would be in trouble / crucified!

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