Badged uniform for girls not boys

[Poolhater]

I should say that the primary school seemed quite “progressive” in that they removed the “boys” and “girls”
label on their uniform list. The just list “winter” or “summer” uniform.

So coming from that I don’t know if I’m being really unreasonable here.

One of our daughters is at a mixed senior school and was keen for some trousers so we went to the uniform shop to purchase them at weekend. She’s happy with them. They were £20 odd quid a pair - they have the school badge on the waist band as does the school skirt (badge must be on show so assume it’s to stop them rolling skirt up - one the reasons she wanted the trousers is that this particular school is very strict on skirt length; it has to be on the knee or below at any point in the year and most weeks she is getting anxious looking at her reflection to make sure it’s not too short so having s trouser option for her seemed sensible.)

She came back from school today and she said she’s noticed none of the boys have a badge on their trousers. And they seem to vary in in style.

I’ve looked at the uniform policy and the girls’ uniform list states “x colour trousers with badge on the waist”. Whereas the boys’ uniform list states “x colour trousers from school supplier” with no ref to the badge.

There are photos of both and the girls’ trousers are the only ones with a badge.

So I’m having to pay £20 odd quid for one pair. But a parent of a boy could pay £20 for a couple of pairs from a supermarket!

AIBU to think that if the girls’ trousers should have a badge, then the boys’ should too?

(Just to add the girls’ trousers are a different colour to the boys’.)

Yes you are being unreasonable - it doesn’t matter!

No, you are not being unreasonable - what goes for uniform standards for the girls should also go for the boys.

And there are lots of ambiguity in the school rules generally. Boys are not allowed hair below the collar, are not allowed pierced ears etc. Facial hair must be removed, all sorts.
It makes me laugh in some ways when most of the "office wear" requirements no longer exist in the workplace.

@SpiderinaWingMirror

Yep, they are a certain style, hence stops the endless debate about the wrong trousers, or the right trousers. The badge shows that. But if it bothers you, it bothers you. All I'm saying is that in my experience the alternative is painful (but then that may well have been coloured by dd2 stroppy phase)

Yes, I think we are talking at crossed purposes.

The badge doesn’t bother me.

The fact it’s only for girls, does bother me.

@SpiderinaWingMirror

And there are lots of ambiguity in the school rules generally. Boys are not allowed hair below the collar, are not allowed pierced ears etc. Facial hair must be removed, all sorts. It makes me laugh in some ways when most of the "office wear" requirements no longer exist in the workplace.

Yes, I agree.

Again the primary school I referred to just says “hair below the collar to be tied back”. Again not mentioning girls or boys. And no earrings at all.

My 15 year old was telling me recently that at her school some of the other girls have got in trouble because their tracksuit bottoms are 'skin tight' and that's not allowed. They are Canterburys, school regulation, and the only ones they are allowed to wear. hmm So in actual fact, they have been punished for having the 'wrong' body shape.

Or they are being punished for wearing too small a size to ensure its skintight? Lots of girls do this.

Tbf it probably is because the girls tend to choose a wider range of trouser styles including many inappropriate ones, whereas the boys don't, so by imposing a badged style, they limit that.

Really they should require the same of the boys but I suppose are trying to keep costs down for parents where they can.

If a school uniform policy dictates specific items for one sex and different, more expensive, items for the other then that seems clearly discriminatory.

@ErrolTheDragon

If a school uniform policy dictates specific items for one sex and different, more expensive, items for the other then that seems clearly discriminatory.

Absolutely!

How is it fair to keep costs down for the boys but not the girls!

You can’t punish for fit. Lots of parents want an item to last so big and baggy year 7 and tight year 11 especially if it’s a tracksuit worn an hour for part of the year. Even if it’s a new item girls weight can change massively. Do teachers really want conversations - Jane your tracksuit pants are too tight. Yes Miss I’ve put a stone on in lockdown. Miss? Yes your shirt is too tight how much weight have you put on? Miss looks embarrassed says you need some new ones. Reply - my mum won’t buy them says I need to diet/can’t afford them.
DD’s school have introduced badged leggings for PE. £27.50. Boys can wear their own tracksuit bottoms! I think it’s appalling but I bought them so DD isn’t freezing in a tiny skort at bus stop. Yes I think it’s unacceptable but this was solution after girls had raised it with school.

Do they allow boys to wear skirts? That's the real issue here, because if not the school are allowing girls two options but boys only one, therefore it makes sense to give the boys a little more leeway on the trousers.

It makes no sense at all 😳

The real issue is that the parents of girls are having to pay more money than those of boys

Thats the real issue

@DeepaBeesKit

Tbf it probably is because the girls tend to choose a wider range of trouser styles including many inappropriate ones, whereas the boys don't, so by imposing a badged style, they limit that.

Really they should require the same of the boys but I suppose are trying to keep costs down for parents where they can.

trying to keep costs down for parents of boys but not girls where they can

Girls shapes can suffer if only one choice is provided someone has picked body type A style
The school can limit the choice for girls and boys by having 3 pics
1 a skinny girl/boy
1 a plump girl/boy
1 mixed group by shape and sex
Which will illustrate what image the school it trying to achieve by having a dress code

That takes work which would be a good project for the students to undertake

Or just accept that the badge is against their own policy on discrimination.