to be annoyed that there will be a trousers uniform only at dc's secondary school from next year?

[bigbuttons]

DD ( dc number5) starts secondary in September. All her older sibs have gone/ are at the school. Her 2 older sisters are in years 8 and 10. Up until now the uniform has been, for girls, a blazer, skirt or trousers, white shirt and optional tie.
We got an email this week saying that after extensive consultation( I would like to know with whom because parents were not asked to my knowledge) the uniform for new year 7's would be 'gender neutral'. Both sexes will wear exactly the same uniform i.e new school jumper, no blazer, smart grey or black trousers, no skirts and all to wear a tie. Pupils currently at the school can continue with the current uniform but change of they wish.
There has been 'issue' with girls rolling their skirts up to basically just below their backsides and members of the public/parents have been complaining about this. The new trousers only uniform will help with issues of 'decency' it says.
Year 6 dd is horrified, she has never worn trousers in her life and quite frankly is not a good shape for them anyway, - leggings yes, buttoned trousers, no, although I have never said this to her of course. She is short and stocky, always has been.
I know many women who feel very uncomfortable wearing trousers because they don't like their legs/shape and always wear dresses and skirts.

What this this gender neutral crap?
I support both sexes wearing ties and I liked the blazer so am sad it has gone.

I think the girls should be able to wear skirts and am confused about the whole 'indecent' issue. If a girl wears a short skirt it's surely not her fault if people find it 'indecent'? It feels like very little has progressed for girls since I was at school. So, they now all have to look like boys?

I would be interested to hear people's views on this.

Either buy some trousers that fit your dd or alter them to be comfortable. Lots of people have to do this. Our school has a regulation tracksuit in one cut of girls and boys and loads of us have had to alter it in various ways.

Firstly wearing trousers does not make you look like a boy! I was thrilled when I could wear trousers for work (nursing) as they are much more practical and liberating
Secondly, it avoids the whole problem of skirt length regulations and enforcement. Problem solved!!

so they are always wearing ankle length?
No, knee length usually. It's their thighs/hips they don't like.

Wearing trousers does not make you look like a boy.

HTH

This is not a gender neutral uniform. It is the girls being told to wear the boys' uniform.

Have you raised the lack of consultation with the school?

Local schools send kids home if they are in 'belt skirts' or low slung trousers or other banned items and generally manage without banning the items associated with girls.

We have had 'uniform' for about 4 years now, there is a skirt and a trouser option and students can choose to wear whichever they choose. I can't believe so many schools are only just doing this.

No uinform at my kids' secondary school, they all wear jeans. The girls still don't run around that much ;)

Uniform in the UK seems to be particularly focused on controlling what girls wear - why is that? I'm personally a fan of trousers (rarely wear skirts and never dresses) but forcing girls who may be uncomfortable with their bodies to wear trousers is wrong IMO. Not to mention that a dictate to wear trousers will likely be followed by one that tells you exactly how those trousers must fit - which will be difficult for girls with adult body shapes that don't fit uniform trousers designed for boys and preteens. This is a major gripe for my friends who are teachers at UK secondary schools.

Sounds a great idea, much more practical.

What happened to the word 'unisex'

This isn't about gender issues, it's about a minor change to a school uniform, to make it unisex.

smeaton if it's the same school my DD attends then yes, that's absolutely the case. If you can't see the skirts under the blazers (not uncommon) it's too short. In the first week DD got teased for her skirt being "too long"... As a 5'6" 11 year old in age 14-15 skirts there was NO chance of her skirt being too long as it stopped a good 2 or 3 inches above her knees!

And excluding 2 days last week when she couldn't find her trousers, she's never worn a skirt since.

I dread this. As a teen I'd have given my right arm to wear trousers to school but couldnt.
Dd has ASD and SPD. She will not weat trousers. Certain soft leggings are OK. Skirts are OK and we have a style she will wear for school.

I'm a big fan of this and wish my kid's school would introduce it, as another local high school has done.
I'm all for freedom of choice but I draw the line when I can see the thicker part at the top of the tights below the level of skirt.
Some afternoons is like watching hookers-are-us walking past and there is a balance between rakishly short and indecent. Girls generally find that balance 95% of the time but seem incapable when it comes to school uniform.
I want the teachers to be able to focus on teaching rather than policing uniform that group think and rebelliousness encourages students to alter as much as they can get away with.
Having been told about a car crash involving four students and drugs, I think we all have bigger issues to worry about than skirts or trousers at school.

Year 6 dd is horrified, she has never worn trousers in her life and quite frankly is not a good shape for them anyway

Way to be the problem! With her mother teaching her her body is the "wrong shape" for trousers (she has legs, doesn't she? Then she's not the wrong shape) at least the school is trying to teach her that clothes do not maketh the woman,

Uniform in the UK seems to be particularly focused on controlling what girls wear - why is that?

Because, generally speaking, it's the girls who are pushing the uniform by rolling up their skirts to knicker level, slathering on shed loads of make up, wearing jewellery etc. Boys don't tend to do whatever the equivalent would be.

BBCNewsRave I bet you're right!

Oh well.

I think a "gender neutral" uniform is a great idea.

Recently my DD school changed the fifth year and upwards uniform to fitted pencil/jersey skirts from a skater type one. DD will not be impressed.

What happened to the word 'unisex'

It's been upgraded to the poncier sounding "gender neutral"

Think its a good idea, of course some girls (not usually primary school age) wearing their skirts around their waists frankly. My oldest D went to a none uniform school which was a nightmare every morning, her throwing stuff around, and usually ending up "borrorwing" something of mine, taking it to school and changing into it. I have no doubt some bright spark on the gender neutral campagn will suggest that girls AND boys should wear trouers. As someone else pointed out its going to school, to learn, uniform is about UNIFORMATY, not a fashion statement. My youngest D plmped for trousers, and at a geniune size 0 I had a terrible job finding any to fit her.

Sounds like a good idea to me. Trousers are for boys and girls.

Great idea. I really don't get the point of skirts, at least not in a school/work enviroment.
My son's high school had this policy. I don't think anyone had a problem with it.
If you look around, a lot of businesses have this kind of uniform policy -trousers with a unisex top (often a polo shirt). If I was incharge of uniform policy at school it would be black trousers, polo shirt, sweatshirt or fleece. As unisex as possible.

sorry meant boy should wear SKIRTS!

I am just amazed that trousers are still seen as BOYS' clothes.

Way to be the problem! With her mother teaching her her body is the "wrong shape" for trousers (she has legs, doesn't she? Then she's not the wrong shape) at least the school is trying to teach her that clothes do not maketh the woman,

Another user who can't be arsed to read the thread I see.