11 year old girl wearing hot pants to school

[MalloryMae]

An article in The Daily Mirror (FYI I don't usually read or take this newspaper seriously but this article caught my attention) is of an upset mum who's 11 year old daughter was sent home from school, on a non school uniform day, on the hottest day of the year, for wearing cycling/sports shorts because they are deemed 'hot pants' and 'inappropriate'

Lots of comments from people who completely agree that a child wearing these shorts are in fact, inappropriate.

I'm having the same issue with my daughters secondary school. They won't let her wear black cycling shorts in PE - not because they might be branded and other children might not be able to afford them - not because of any justifiable reason but because they are apparently 'inappropriate'?

I'm sorry but is this not body shaming young girls? Sexualising yet again another item of clothing that are completely fit for purpose? Surely the only thing that's inappropriate about girls wearing cycling shorts are the perverted minds of those who think such way?

What on earth happened to FwR section?
Male teachers are victims of the behaviour of 11 year old girls.
Girls staring at male genitals.
Cycling shorts are "sexy".

Jesus wept seconded OP.

I think you are totally missing the point regards uniform policy & appropriate clothing - if you don't agree with policy set an example & join governing body to campaign for change (just because you don't agree with a 20mph speed limit, should you be allowed to drive at 30mph). In sec schs there are a number of students who think it is approoriate to wear revealing clothing - it is a professional environ - would you go to dentist, GP etc in a bikini, mankini, revealing clothes?? Is ok for a police officer to turn up in cycling shorts/hot pants? This about teaching young people about appropriate standards & not moaning becauae you don't agree when applied.

I think you're missing the point that we're talking about an 11 year old girl wearing shorts on a non school uniform day on the hottest day of the year (who is allowed to wear them for PE in the same school...)

and a 12 year old girl wearing sports shorts for erm, sports?

and yes I wear 'cycling' shorts for everyday use because they're comfy as fuck and easy to throw on, so if I had a dentist appt I'd go wearing them because they're not inappropriate by any stretch. Turning up in a bikini would be inappropriate but you haven't got to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Your really clutching at straws here with the examples that you've made because they are not a like for like comparison, and you're also talking about adults, not children.

Adding myself on to the school governing board is a good idea, but I already know it'll be full of outdated, closed minded people like yourself.

This thread is a bit of a shocker.11 year olds carry the responsibility for male teachers staring - totally ridiculous. In my experience schools over focus on uniform rules, it’s a distraction, stops everyone noticing how little progress they are making in dealing with poor teaching, if only kids were better, less human, more robotic - our school would have be bloody perfect. And my kids were well behaved wore the uniform etc - I could still see the subterfuge Rules are rules - brick in the wall.

Except in this specific case the school told the kids if they preferred they could wear their pe kit to school as presumably its cooler. I'm not really convinced how a sports t shirt and shorts is significantly cooler than a normal school polo neck (as most primary school kids wear) and skirt but whatever, that was the schools position not the kid being rebellious.

The shorts this girl wore WERE her pe kit and no concerns had ever been raised about them being inappropriate when she'd worn them for the last year.

So yes school is in the wrong for telling kids to wear pe kit and then saying pe kit is not suitable. If the kit wasn't suitable for PE they should have raised that the first time she wore them and they are being foolish and creepy if they've actually said short shorts are "inappropriate" on an 11 year old.

Exactly. We buy the "school cycling shorts" pack of 2 from next for PE - and buy a pack for home too as its what she prefers to wear.

Looking at the photo its exactly those - school cycling short length, not tiny pants or soemthing.

At my secondary school our PE uniform was “knicker shorts” ….basically a large pair of Bridget jones style knickers …gym skirt on top unless we were doing gymnastics style PE then we just wore the knickers ….so I’d say cycling shorts are a lot more appropriate.

I totally get people saying that uniform policies should be followed but I think they're missing the point that this was a non-uniform day and the shorts in question are acceptable for the child to wear to PE at the same school...

I always wonder what people mean by 'inappropriate'... like, specifically, what is inappropriate about cycling shorts? I don't get the impression these shorts are sitting up her arse crack as they're PE shorts!

I live in a hot country and most PE uniforms are baggy shorts at Primary (boys and girls) but lots of girls live in cotton cycling shorts outside of school. It has never occurred to me that this could be considered problematic. My oldest is 7 and much prefers them to denim shorts, although she wears both.

I went to the sort of school that had v strict uniform policies, including that everyone (staff included) had to change into jogging trousers if wearing sports kit in the dining hall, as shorts are not 'appropriate' attire for meals. They changed this rule later as girls would wear short skirts during summer (boarding school so in own time, not school hours - definitely not short skirts during school hours!!) and the boys campaigned that this was unfair 😆The rules were changed but this did cause a few issues with SERIOUSLY short shorts (not at all like what this post is about!) I remember thinking that if the crease/curve where your butt cheek meets your thigh is visible, presumably that is too short?! Anyway, I digress.

OP - of course it is ridiculous that these shorts are acceptable for PE but not for non-uniform day. And to anyone saying it is to protect teachers from false accusations... I don't really know what to say. Maybe all girls over the age of... I don't know?! What age? Should wear bin bags to school and in all professional settings and whenever they leave their homes just in case a man can't control himself.

Why do schools have these stupid non uniform days? What's the point and what are they supposed to achieve?

I think the problem with lycra shorts is that many are of poor quality and can be seen through. So even if one's old child's isn't, they have to rule for everyone.

You're stretching for a practical excuse here. Get her better fitting underwear. I wear higher waist banded, tighter, boxer-like knickers on my period, under whatever clothes I have to wear that day and my pad doesn't just "fall out". Get her period knickers or a better quality of pad if they're.. falling out 🙄

Cycling shorts are NOT appropriate for school and I wouldn't want my young daughter wearing them for a school without a skort over the top. She's not about to compete in a sports competition, she's at school.

Probably quoted the wrong post, not bothered 😂

Hot pants and cycling shorts are completely different. In my opinion, the former (unless it it is for dance/gymnastics) is completely inappropriate for an 11-year-old. the latter is more modest than school rugby/football shorts! when I was at school the shorts that we had to wear was so tight everything was on display! I have noticed quite a lot of schools are now introducing skots for girls, I wonder if this is something to do with that? 🤔

I can see why the could be inappropriate. A bit like when adult men & women wear them and it leaves nothing to the imagination.

They would be fine for some prepubescent 11yos, but not all the children and schools need to consider everyone.

The latter (cycling shorts) is more modest than school rugby/football shorts! when I was at school the shorts that we had to wear was so tight everything was on display!

Cycling shorts are tight, though. They show everything.

These responses ar e really bloody depressing

In my experience, they don't if they are dark in colour (Black, Navy, Grey etc).

All the teens around here seem to be wearing these.
Which I know are all in one, so slightly different, but look no different to cycling shorts & a fitted top.

I've never seen a little girl in cycling shorts that "literally outlines every crease in her crotch" and that's an incredibly creepy way to refer to a pre-teen child.

Why are you obsessively scrutinising children's crotches??

Girls do plenty of sports activities (like swimming or ballet) that require them to wear tight leotards yet somehow people cope without fainting dead, presumably because they aren't getting down on their knees with a magnifying glass because they're obsessed with looking at young girls' labias.

Bcc89 thats interesting. Its what my daughter wears for PE and has for about 3 years - cycling shorts and a t shirt in their house colour. We cant be the only school - qnd in fact in this example the girl IS allowed them for PE. Those frothing thwg shouldnt be in school are missing that its a stamdard part of pe kit.

@Readytoplay That's interesting that you find that. I wear black ones always feel pretty exposed so I have to wear a long t-shirt. Maybe it's a weight thing? Or maybe I need to shop around. Thanks for that because I really like wearing them but can't wear them out of the house. I'm going to shop around to see if I can find better.

Agree

Would you approve your son to wear a hot pants ?

Seems the problem is the lack of clarity in the rules.