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Primary education

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Original poster

Girls not allowed to wear trousers to school? I thought we were in the 21st century?

233 replies

TheYearOfTheCatMPADist · 21/06/2009 23:38

My DD is due to start primary school in September. I have been reading through the school's info pack, and I am really surprised (and hacked off) that the school specifies for winter school uniform, girls must wear a skirt & tights, and not trousers.

Is this normal? It seems so unnecessary. I can't really put into words how I feel, as it is pretty late, but it seems to be reinforcing gender stereotypes.

I am considering raising the issue with the head teacher, but would appreciate any views.

OP posts:
andiem · 22/06/2009 13:07

wearing a skirt may inhibit their ability to particpate fully in school life though and play in the playground etc

but obviously we have very different values about what is important in education

pinkmagic1 · 22/06/2009 13:13

How sexist! Infact the company I work for only provided skirts for women with no option for trousers up until about 8 years ago. Very old fashioned IMHO.

peapodlovescuddles · 22/06/2009 13:16

Count yourself lucky, my childrens STATE primary has just brought in lilac jumpers, open necked shirts for girls and a skirt must be a royal blue box pleated one. No option for trousers there

Personally I think little girls in trousers look yucky and always a bit scruffy. I much prefer my DDs in skirts or pinafores with thivk wooly tights in the winter.

Tortington · 22/06/2009 13:16

i dont think its sexist but i do think its old fashioned.

i hate the idea - and the look of 10 year old boys in shorts - they are simply too old for grey shorts at that stage and they look stupid - just stupid.

shorts in winter stupid

dresses in winter stupid

choice of shorts or long pants in summer

dress or trousers in winter.

Squidward · 22/06/2009 13:17

agree with the boys in shorts in winter thing - utterly stupid
and boaters fgs and stupid pinnies over girls dresses

thedolly · 22/06/2009 13:19

It is the governing body of a school that decides the uniform policy is it not?

Is banning trousers considered gender discrimination?

Squidward · 22/06/2009 13:20

I wonder.

Fennel · 22/06/2009 13:28

State schools can't make uniform compulsory at primary age, though they may pretend they can.

thedolly · 22/06/2009 13:40

AFAIK women only started wearing trousers in earnest after WWII (they wore their men folks trousers whilst they were off fighting).

There are certainly schools in this country that pre-date WWII.

I suspect the issue of wearing trousers is more of a race than a gender issue and that is a whole other debate.

Back to my 'feminism gone too far' statement - as women continue to progress in a still male dominated work place they have become increasingly more 'androgenised' - I give you the female trouser suit. Wear it and you too can pretend to be a man .

Greensleeves · 22/06/2009 13:48

Do you wear a skirt every day thedolly?

bloss · 22/06/2009 13:52

Message withdrawn

SolidGoldBrass · 22/06/2009 13:54

I wouldn't mind a school where skirts were an option but would make sure that they allowed boys to wear skirts if they wanted to.

Hulababy · 22/06/2009 13:58

I agree bloss - thick tights and a skirt is warmer than school trousers and socks IME. I usually chose to wear skirt and ttichts in winter for this reason - you also have the advatnage with a skirt that it doesn't get wet or soggy on a damp cold day, unlike trousers which can trail near the floor.

Astate primary cannot insist on uniform IIRR, so if OP really objects they can refuse I believe.

In the Y1 class I work in only 1 or 2 girls from my class chose to wear trousers. The rest chose dresses or skirts.

DD has a strict uniform (not state) where is a specific dress/skirt/pinafore for winter/summer uniforms. Can honestly say it has never been an issue at all.

School uniform trousers are on the whole pretty horrid pieces of clothing anyway!

Hulababy · 22/06/2009 14:01

Oh, and wearing a skirt or dress for school has not yet managed to stop DD in her activities or play. There is nothing she cant do in a skirt or dress, compared to trousers. Let;s face it she can manage to climb a tree or the highest climbing frames in a full length princess dress so a knee length skirt isn't likely to stop her, lol!

bumsrush · 22/06/2009 14:02

Boys can and have worn 'skirts' to my DC's school, kilts that is .

thedolly · 22/06/2009 14:02

Greensleeves - I'm not against trousers (I love my Eva jeans from Topshop) I'm just not against tradition either.

There are many more worthwhile battles to pick in Education than uniform and as for using it to filter out schools - that is just ludicrous.

thedolly · 22/06/2009 14:04

Oh and Greensleeves, the 'nylon' you mentioned a few posts back, that's for the girls trousers .

They are seriously unattractive.

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 22/06/2009 14:11

I disagree with any uniform that is stupid.

Forcing girls to wear trousers is stupid and sexist.

Forcing boys to wear shorts in winter is stupid and unkind. Why would any normal adult want to force a child to dress inappropriately for the weather? I am extremely suspicious of adults who think that's OK.

If the kids have to wear shorts, so should the adults.

I hate this casual dismissal of children's comfort and welfare. It's vile.

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 22/06/2009 14:12

You can fight several battles at the same time, you know. Fighting silly uniforms doesn't stop you fighting SATs.

thedolly · 22/06/2009 14:15

I know of a school where the Headmaster did just that HBLB. He had a uniform, shorts and all made for him - now that's weird.

bamboostalks · 22/06/2009 14:16

11 year old boys in school shorts is weird and unnecessary. A tall boy will look ridiculous. I think it is an elitist thing. They look like plonkers though.

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 22/06/2009 14:17

LOL he sounds like something out of Little Britain.

Am astonished that so many parents are happy to have their kids in the care of wierdies like that.

SolidGoldBrass · 22/06/2009 14:20

I'm one of those who's not very keen on school uniform anyway. but if they have to have it, at primary level, it should be about comfort and practicality and cheapness. School-logo sweatshirts and t-shirts with a choice of skirt or trousers (and preferably trousers as they just are more practical) should be the beginning and end of it, not all this wanky knickerbockers and pinnies and straw boaters to get lost and wrecked...

Ceolas · 22/06/2009 14:24

My DCs school has a choice of trousers or skirt/pinafore in the winter. Consequently after all the uniform has been bought in August, I am not going back out to buy more in October, so my girls wear skirts/pinafores all year round. Also, I have never seen a pair of girl's school trousers that I liked and I think they look a bit stupid with a shirt and tie on a girl

It's a very good school and we are happy with it in almost all respects. They have never complained of being cold or seemed unable/too uncomfortable to participate in any activities.

bumsrush · 22/06/2009 14:25

It takes you back to the first world war when woman could join certain corps in the services and were still expected to wear skirts, and those that wore split skirts to ride horses and motor bikes were a bit strange,

Sorry but what century is this, not that long ago thought that I had to argue my case to wear trousres at work, despite the fact the lovely straight skirts they wanted us to wear were completly impracticle for the job we were doing,.