AIBU to challenge the school’s wording about pupils rolling skirts up?

100% agree. Its also really unhygienic as they basically sit on the communal furniture with their bare arse! Yuk.

Our local High School has removed the problem in one swift move - every student wears trousers. Its been such a relief for those girls who lack body confidence but feel pressure to wear the skirts short to "fit in". They all look so much better. Previously skirts would literally be shorter than their blazers and you could definitely see their knickers and bum cheeks. They looked like they'd forgotten to put any clothes on their lower half.

I’m a teacher and a woman. I was going up the stairs behind a girl yesterday and I saw a bum cheek as her knickers where tucked in on one side and her skirt was so short that with my eyes ahead of me, I could see more than was appropriate.

Men cannot go to work in vest tops. Women cannot wear plunging necklines with a push-up bra. Without talking about sexualisation, it it’s simply not appropriate workplace attire. Schools are a pupil’s workplace. Wear what you want at the weekend. 🤷🏽‍♀️

YABU but I also think uniforms are old fashioned and not fit for purpose anyway. It’s not like the typical worker wears a blazer and tie for work, especially in an office. I think more comfortable clothes that are suitable for learning and moving around would be better. A polo shirt and leggings or trousers works well. Shorts or skorts in the summer. Jumpers or cardigans in the winter. I think that would sort out a lot of issue and hopefully encourage kids to be kids and move around more. I also think kids should be able to wear trainers as this is likely better for their growing feet.

First sensible answer on the thread!

THIS is how the school should have / could have worded their letter. I rather agree with the op - the letter is lazy - yet another example of schools expecting parents to do their job for them!

The letter should have reminded parents that school rules require a skirt to be x inches above the knee. This rule is set for XYZ reasons. And asking parents to support them by reminding children ... etc, etc

It really is beyond awful and I really think a female member of staff could be taking these girls aside and gently telling them their sanitary wear is on display.

It wouldn't be acceptable in most work places, so why should it be acceptable at school?

Get a hobby. The school have enough to do. Ffs

It's a ridiculous argument, and quite a dangerous one when youngsters are concerned.

Send a letter. You don't need to be a mum of girls to challenge patriarchy.

My daughter is 12 and the trend for super short skirts is definitely the thing in her school. She rolls her skirt a little to about 2 inches above knee. I’ve been clear with her that I’ve provided her a skirt that meets uniform rules, if she rolls it and breaks the rules and gets caught then she’ll get a detention and she’ll deserve it so I won’t fight it. So far that’s kept her from rolling it too high, I don’t know how long that will be the case. Girls have been rolling their skirts for decades, the school should deal with it as a breach of uniform code and stick to their policy.

I think theres been teachers on here who've said that you're walking up the stairs in the school or the corridor and theres no way you can avoid looking at bum cheeks.

You get the self righteous claiming any child (female child only really) who can wear what they like and show off what they like. Well no actually.

I am old enough to have worn mini-skirts the first time around.
I don't remember seeing anyones knickers, and girls were much slimmer back then, so they did actually look classy without looking unsightly.

The difference was the girls were older, not school-age, which made it more acceptable imo.

I have DDs. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the wording. Although given the peer pressure to do this, I think schools should really change to kilts instead of skirts. I know some have.

Good point.

Also the pointing out you can’t look elsewhere if that person is stood right in front of you.

it seems to be a common issue - stand in front of people with your arse hanging out. Then tell said people who you are flashing your arse at not to look at your arse.

It’s like handing someone a black biro to sign a document and then telling theM not to sign it in black ink!

No it just looks awful. It’s a uniform for a reason. No one wants to see any teenagers arses, male or female. Remember when boys seemed to have their arses out? Same deal.

I don’t know why schools don’t insist on culottes instead of skirts or ones with dropped waists then pleats.

Well I think short skirst hav een around since the sixties so they're not new

What is new, is this semi gaslighting that you mustnt say anything, you mustnt point out that its not appropriate to display your private parts and huge parts of your flesh unless you're literally trying to sunbath, cool down or attract a mate. thats the reality people dont want to hear.

I see so many teenage girls with their arse cheeks hanging out. Now, I am all for wear what you want but they are representing the school when in uniform. It is a bit like it would not be acceptable to have your arse cheeks hanging out if you worked in an office with a business attire dress code. Maybe they could have worded it that way.

Nobody reasonable wants to see schoolgirls arses.......except you

Yes I saw two girls today wearing those really tight shorts with the bottom half of their buttocks on display. It’s appalling. Young girls today seem to have no sense of privacy, decency or self respect.

Maybe a change of tack is needed. Instead of tutting, euphemism and pearl clutching take the piss instead. Its a thing because kids want to shock. and attract the opposite sex
All the teachers join in..butt cheeks, undies on display, 59 yr old Mr Rogers art teacher, normally a tweed jacket and elbow patches suddenly in joggers walking around with his hand down the front. Mrs Williams, English teacher aged 45 with skirt so short her butt is on display. Letter to parents beforehand saying that as the kids think its a great look all staff have been instructed to lead by example. 🙈😉😂😂

Pupils wear their uniform for parents evening at our school. I can count on one hand the number of girls who don’t have their skirt rolled. The parents are with them and don’t care. I’ve even seen posts on Facebook where people ask where can they take their DD’s skirt to be shortened (box pleat) as they don’t want to be picked on for having a skirt on the knee. Baffles me tbh.

For most of my senior school years, the fashion was either knee length or maxi skirts. I remember being sad that my mum wouldn't let me have a maxi skirt, when those were ‘in’. Basically, I somehow ended up with skirts that were always deeply unfashionable - but at least we weren’t contending with micro mini skirts - my thunder thighs would not have been fit for public viewing - not that mum would have permitted anything above knee length. And I was too scared of her to have even considered rolling up my skirt. 😂😂😂

How is it sexist? Do boys roll their skirts up, or only the girls?

So it applies to girls

Even though the paragraph doesnt mention any sex.

No one should be allowed to wear whatever and whenever. You can't wear a bikini to a funeral or to a meeting. Dress codes and appropriateness exist