Sexist school uniform policy?

[Bmidreams]

I was just wondering what other's thoughts were on this new uniform policy at a secondary school?

All students can wear trousers but it is fashionable for girls to wear skirts there, and most girls choose to do so.

New policy says that students can now only wear a new type of school skirt that has the school badge on. One skirt costs approximately £20.

Trousers can continue to be any type from any supermarket at approximately £8 each.

Would you consider this policy sexist? AIBU that I think it is?

I'll leave aside the covid 19 issues of not introducing expensive uniform at this time, more uniform probably needed as it will need washing every night etc.

@Mintjulia I dont want to say, and it does surprise me, but they really do favour skirts, and yes they are rolled up ridiculously high.

I've seen so many girls walking around in mini skirts that look fit for a night club. It's dangerous

How is wearing a skirt dangerous?

Girls frequently wear skirts that are much too short. I get ones that drop their pen then say they can't pick it up because they can't bend over. Also get ones that sit with their legs spread wide. I teach science so they are on high stools and sometimes I don't know where to look when I'm stood at the front of the class

My DD's school has the same policy.
I also believe it is sexist as the skirts are horrendously expensive in comparison to trousers.
ALL items suggested on a uniform list should be of a similar cost so as not to discriminate. With no other items are there such a cost difference - and there are items that are gender specific in their cut - like Skorts for the girls for PE. They can chose to wear Lyra shorts, and the boys have shorts cut differently. But all the shorts and skorts are a similar price.
The PE jackets are a different cut for boys and girls but priced the same. White school shirts tend to be cut differently as teen body shapes change. They are the same cost.

Is okay saying wear the trousers - My daughter has really long legs and so most trousers available (even the longer cut ones which are tough to find and rare in school uniform) are too short and she is self conscious about them - and gets in trouble as they need to be long.

The skirts have several different lengths. But cost £25.

The boys don't have a specific piece of uniform on their list with a logo on which costs twice as much.

Well it's not sexist as girls can still wear trousers. So the skirt is an "extra" that is not essential.

How is wearing a skirt dangerous

Are you aware that there are sexual predators in the world? And that young girls can be followed and snatched?

It will be so they are all of an appropriate length but kids will always find a way round that.

I think that you answer it yourself with the 'fashionable' description in the second sentence of your OP. The whole point of a school uniform is for the pupils to look uniform. Easier in trousers, if you can find a cheaper supplier of a similar school skirt I'm sure that the school will consider changing it.

I don't think that it is sexist, they're just putting the uniform back in their uniform.

The skirt length is the same as the length of supermarket skirts. It just has a badge. It can still be rolled up.

I loathe school uniform. Loathe it. It's a ridiculous British fetish and the arguments in its favour are just not borne out by the fact.

It will be interesting to see what COVID will do. Our secondary and 6th form go back part time from Monday - year 10 and year 12. And year 10 will not be required to wear uniform because of the daily laundering requirements (we are also not in a wealthy area). I wonder if going forward with COVID, we will see a move away from uniform for financial reasons and move towards sensible dress codes instead.

Yes, the uniform is sexist, but most people are blind to it.
Unless the skirt is allowed to be worn by boys as well - even if no boy is ever going to take it up - the uniform still promotes inequality and is discriminatory.
And no, I'm not joking, I'm serious. Why is it OK for the girls to get a choice but not the boys?

Pinky is that a joke? What century are you in? Talk about victim blaming. Sexual predators can snatch girls in trousers too you know.

I think it is sexist in the same way as pink tax. Where the female version of something, is more restricted and more expensive than the male version. Skirts are the female bottom, trousers the male bottom.
What the school is trying to do is make the uniform gender neutral indirectly by making the female item more expensive. They know most people will choose the cheaper option. Then voila! The students are all wearing trousers.
But if they had a policy that said no skirts allowed, those same parents would realise hey that is sexism and fight against it.
Through this covert sexism, they are still attaining the goal of defeminising girls who wish to be feminine through economic duress on their parents by making the skirt option so unaffordable, it is not truly an option.

I like uniform - I'd hate it if the kids had to chose their own clothes to wear every day.
It removes any thought about it and is a great leveller. You can't get wealthy kids showing off their new and very expensive trainers and it becoming a bloody competition.
I hate the American way of no uniform and then people having to fit into the stereotypical 'groups' based on how you dress.
My two DD would find it very stressful and would feel judged on the clothes they may chose to wear.

It'd only be discrimination based on sex if the girls were forced to wear skirts, however they are not. You do not mention if boys could wear a skirt if they wished to.

It's not sexist just because it's more expensive for girls as more of them wish to wear skirts, you could say the same for hair bobbles, piercings, and for older children, makeup.....

“you could say the same for hair bobbles, piercings, and for older children, makeup....”

Not really because those are accessories. You can go without them entirely and still be in uniform. However, you cannot go without a bottom piece be it skirt/kilt or trousers.

“I hate the American way of no uniform and then people having to fit into the stereotypical 'groups' based on how you dress.
My two DD would find it very stressful and would feel judged on the clothes they may chose to wear.”

Completely agree timefirwine, when we lived in the US for a few years, my DC found the dress code but no uniform very uncomfortable. First of all their regular clothes were all in European fashions, not American. Secondly, you are right there are cliques where you have tovdress I’m specific brands and colours in order to be accepted or even to avoid bullying. Very stressful! I remember having to rush to the shops and buy a specific kind of Converse shoe after my youngest was bullied for wearing Vans.

So school have got fed up with the wide variety of skirts being worn and are trying to bring it inline to keep them smart. While also giving girls freedom to wear trousers if they wish.

Seems perfectly fair to me

The uniform policy doesn't specify which items for which sex.

It's sensible policy, to protect the dignity of the girls - who are too young and silly to realise they look like trollops with their tiny short skirts. Much better to have all in trousers - and I hope they insist on trousers rather than allowing "leggings" because they are too revealing also.

Our school (not UK but similar issues with rolled up skirts) have redesigned the uniform skirt so the girls can't roll the skirt without it looking bulky and apparently it's uncomfortable. Win!

Of course it's sexist. Girls in short skirts shock horror making all those poor little boys and male teachers unable to concentrate.

too young and silly to realise they look like trollops
The 50s called, they want their language back.

Can the boys wear the skirt? If not then that'd be the only sexist policy I can see (tounge

Yes, boys can wear the skirt, but it's normally about 700 girls that do. To continue wearing a skirt will now cost them more than double that of the trousers that approximately 700 boys wear.