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.

So to follow the norm for girls will cost double what it would cost for boys to follow the norm.

Although if you use that argument, others can point out that boys tend to grow more between 11-16 than girls do, so their uniform needs replacing more frequently which costs more.
What is required for PE? Are the costs the same there? Our school's boys' PE kit (if you buy all the items, some of which are optional) costs more than the girls' one.

My daughter wears trousers to school. No one has ever commented negatively.

In your own time wear what you want. In school it is not appropriate to have your arse cheeks hanging out. Not because staff do t know where to look but because it is an environment that is preparing young people for life outside school. There are very few jobs where you can sit legs akimbo showing your knickers at your colleagues without that being outside of the norm. Plus wearing g what you want is never that simple is it when society and peers exert so much pressure. There are girls quite happy to have a reason to be liberated from the competitive shirt skirts. I am also uncomfortable with catching teen boys hang back a step so they can watch the bottoms of the girls above as they go up the stairs. Non of this helps either boys or girls as we try to ready them for work and reduce sexist expectations. That the school is in an area of deprivation makes these problems more serious and more immediate. What’s the bets that next year there aren’t any skirts and everyone is in trousers.

I agree with the school doing this... my kids school have done the same, nice to see the girls looking presentable and not having their skirts so high that it only just covers their bum

What’s the bets that next year there aren’t any skirts and everyone is in trousers
My school has a standard girls' skirt and students generally wear it properly. We had a lot of girls who wear skirts. There's the usual slight rolling as any teen has done for years but a quick reminder and all is sorted.

At a previous school the uniform said non fashion, non skinny black trousers (no jeans) and black school skirt (no fashion skirts). Endless time was taken up by having parents argue their son's black jeans weren't jeans and that their daughter's mini jersey skirt that doesn't cover her pants was a school skirt. I've sat in meetings where a parent has sworn blind their child's skirt was knee length when they left the house... And the child is sitting there in a skirt barely 30cm long. Unsurprisingly the parent taught their child that rules don't apply to them.

That school went to single supply everything because parents and students demonstrated they were incapable of following a very simple uniform.

Unless they've banned the boys from wearing skirts then it's not sexist. Your assumption that only girls can wear skirts is sexist.

I rolled up my skirt 30 years ago my daughter does it now. When i was at school most girls did wear trousers as well and we mixed it up. I dont see this now. I wish all the kids would wear trousers and all had and option to wear a logod short in summer. Or no bloody uniform as another said my daughter wouldnt dream of wearing a skirt out of school.

How is wearing a skirt dangerous? hmm

When you draw your sword it can get caught.

Yes it's sexist, by forcing significant price differences in the uniform normally chosen to be worn by different sexes means that it is sexist, the whole policy is (presumably) designed to police the activities of a single sex.

To those saying the skirts are too expensive...

£40 is half the price of a pair of trainers, for two items of clothing that you'll wear 5 days a week, for at least a year.

Our local secondary school completely banned skirts and now have boys and girls in exactly the same uniform, following multiple attempts at controlling skirt tightness/length. It's brilliant.
They all wear black trousers now.

Cheesypea
Same. I've found myself saying to students 'I rolled my skirt up and found ways to be creative with the uniform, so did my mum, and so have teens for decades, and the teachers reminded us to wear it properly, twas ever thus' and then remind them to wear their uniform properly.
Most teens and parents accept there's a little dance of pushing the rule and then accepting you've been challenged, and everyone moves on.

Unfortunately there's some schools where a substantial proportion of parents deliberately kit their child out in obviously non uniform items and then argue black is white when school challenge their precious DC.
Uniform says no jeans = buy jeans
Uniform says no trainers = buy £80+ black trainers and then argue you can't afford to buy 'another' pair of schools shoes even though the first pair are trainers
Uniform says black leather/ fake leather school shoes = buy knock off UGG boots

bushhbb but let's face it, for some families that is their food for the week, or heating, or a chunk of rent. When a child (or more than one) outgrows that skirt and is told to buy a new one or face consequences, that can blow a hole in the family budget. There are children going to school with shoes with holes in, never mind expensive trainers. You need to show a bit more empathy towards people who struggle financially every single day.

As a female teacher, I also find it really uncomfortable when girls wear incredibly short and tight skirts. You wouldn't dress like that in the office and certainly there would be uproar if teachers came to work wearing the same type of skirt. (and yes, I have worked with teachers who have been told off for wearing too sheer shirts and too low cut tops, as well as flip flops etc)

The "Only Way is Essex" inspired era was just as bad for the boys tbh - skin tight, arse hugging trousers. I do not want to see that. Inappropriate.

Like it or not, clothes than are ok for some situations are not in others. Unless you fancy going to your annual appraisal in a bikini, I think you'll agree.

It disproportionately affects girls as the majority of boys at the school choose to wear trousers and the majority of girls choose to wear skirts. So yes, it’s sexist.

No, girls can wear trousers.

I think its appalling the girls have a choice of skirts or trousers so can be cool in the summer and the boys are stuck in trousers all year round??????

RedskyAtnight in the context of the school described by the OP the overwhelming majority of girls wear skirts. That is an awful lot of peer pressure.

Personally I think that school uniform is a ridiculous. It doesnt teach students to dress appropriately. If anything it does the opposite. So long as the student is in the requisite pieces of uniform they are deemed to be correctly dressed.

My dcs' is worse as girls can only wear the designated skirt/trouser style from the uniform shop but boys can just wear any charcoal coloured school trousers. I think it's because girls are more likely to wear skin tight skirt/trousers if left to their own devices.

Hardly any girls wear trousers.. But that’s their choice. They’re not forced to.

I think it's a good way for the school to ensure skirts are appropriate.

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.

Intrigued to hear more on your opinion on this @pointythings ?

I hate policing uniform, it's really not anywhere on my list of priorities, I honestly don't care if my students paint their nails, it's ridiculous.

That said, the point of uniform is that it's uniform, they're all meant to look the same. They have to draw the line somewhere.

Plus skintight trousers and skirts are not appropriate for moving around school and sitting in science stools.

I work in a school where parents will just push back and kids end up being allowed skintight jeggings because 'Tesco said they were school trousers'. The policy on shoes is as clear as mud. Most girls wear skirts, and they are skintight and short. They actually spend most of their time pulling them back down because they ride up every time they move, if you pull them up they'll pull them down far enough to look semi reasonable for five minutes.

If you're not going to enforce it why even bother? It drives me mad.

I would welcome more clarity, or approved suppliers/styles, or possibly just a ban on stretch fabrics, but some parents would probably struggle to find cheap well fitting alternatives?

The people who complain the loudest about £20 school skirts which will be worn many, many times over the year don't seem to complain about paying £20 for a skirt from H&M that will be worn once a week for a few months.

ours require: blazer. (just changed design)

logoed skirt for girls
logoed skort,
pe top
socks of the right colour
tie
pe trousers logoed
pe jumper logoed

boys logoed: pe t shirt, rugby shirt, shorts, socks, trousers

coats of a design that are not available in the supermarket.

They claim to be a Christian school with Christian values, but that compassion does not extend to the poorer families of the area, nor to keeping dfe guildelines about cost of school uniform.

The school my DD is due to join in September is insisting that girls are not allowed to wear trousers at all. It was not my first choice of school but unless there is movement on the waiting list we are stuck with it. I had this fight(and won) at secondary school nearly 30 years ago and I am horrified that I am having to have it again now.

but let's face it, for some families that is their food for the week, or heating, or a chunk of rent. When a child (or more than one) outgrows that skirt and is told to buy a new one or face consequences, that can blow a hole in the family budget. There are children going to school with shoes with holes in, never mind expensive trainers. You need to show a bit more empathy towards people who struggle financially every single day.

For the record, I went to a high school in a poor inner city area. The disadvantaged kids mostly had expensive trainers and would bully others for wearing cheap shoes. Of course there are people who genuinely struggle, but it's also extremely common for poorer children to want to keep up with the trends, let's be honest.

I'm sure there are parents who really struggle. Schools offer discounted second hand uniforms. The school will probably be willing to help out if you can't afford it

And I stand by what I said. You're wearing these 5 days a week, you're getting your money's worth, that's for sure.