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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Skirt for a boy

47 replies

glesgal · 28/05/2011 22:26

Following the case the other week where a boy turned up to school in a skirt in protest my DS has decided he wants to do the same. (his school also say trousers or skirt for all pupils) He can't borrow his sister's as hers is brown and DS school requires grey or navy so we'll need to get one separate. Can anyone think of a good style for a boy of 11 at primary school (ie not too short, thin, girly pleats like the drop-waist etc.) btw it will be with white ankle socks as tights are too girly and would defeat the purpose of ditching trousers.

OP posts:

Goblinchild · 28/05/2011 22:27

Why doesn't he borrow one from a girl at his school?

zanzibarmum · 28/05/2011 22:38

I am not sure who is more pathetic - your child (not even original in his rebellion) or the mother.

applechutney · 29/05/2011 00:32

You both sound barking mad. What om earth do you hope to achieve by supporting your son on this crackpot notion?

Kez100 · 29/05/2011 07:44

I think it's your place ashis mother to find out why he wishes to do this first - is it for a laugh on his very last day at the school. If it's only because 'he can' then chat through the issues he is likely to face if he does. Sometimes rules exist but we don't actually need to use them. In fact, we'd look rather ridiculous if we did. This is one of them.

seeker · 29/05/2011 07:53

For a mad moment, I thought this was a baby name thread!

If you're serious, OP, then back off. If he wants to do it let him sort it all out for himself. No point being a rebel if your mum comes too.

HattiFattner · 29/05/2011 07:57

in society, there will always be rules that we hate and do not wish to follow. It doesnt mean we can opt out though.

I think this is a valuable lesson he needs to learn. In the world of business, you do not see men in this country wearing shorts. While Im sure many businessmen would love to be more casual, there is an expectation about appropriate dress in all cultures.

AuntieMonica · 29/05/2011 08:00

ok, he wants to wear a skirt but let him choose one from the racks in the normal highstreet places you'd buy his other uniform from.

i thought the whole point of the recent protest by the lad wearing a skirt was it was too hot to wear trousers and there wasn't a given alternative for boys, not making some sort of fashion statement.

menagerie · 29/05/2011 18:07

I'm going to assume this isn't a troll-y wind up. I'd go for a skirt that works like kilts work. Neat, pleated, ending on the knee.

Personally I have no problem with boys wearing skirts or their mums supporting them in this. But agree that having mum so keen to help might take the wind out of his sails. I'd let him get on with it and go off and do something you want to do.

Hope the school is mature enough to take it in their stride. In the end: who cares? If he looks groomed and is in uniform, then why not? It's the education not the outer casing that matters most. If it were against school rules, I'd say, back off, pick your battles. but if it isn't... I quite admire him for being a bit groovy and different.

AnnieLobeseder · 29/05/2011 18:15

If he can't borrow one off a friend, take him to the shops to see what there is. Hard to advise without seeing what you can get.

I would absolutely support my DS if he wanted to wear a skirt. One of the quickest and easiest ways I can see to get equality of the sexes is to eliminate differences such as those in dress and grooming expectations. The fewer differences there are the harder it will be to discriminate.

Why are girls allowed to wear skirts and trousers and boys not allowed to wear skirts? Because the message is that men's things are good enough for women but women's things are not good enough for men. Time to redress the balance IMO.

Good for your DS! He may only be doing this to get out of wearing trousers in the heat, but any protest at the patriarchal dress codes gets a big thumbs up in my book.

sugartongue · 01/06/2011 22:40

I think it's nuts that boys in state primaries aren't allowed to wear shorts in the summer - DS in a prep school isn't allowed to wear trousers in the winter! insisting on trousers is bizarre as is doesn't even reflect tradition where all boys would have been in short trousers at all times until 13ish! Let him wear a skirt if that's his protest.

AnnieLobeseder · 01/06/2011 22:44

Why can't boys wear shorts anyway? What's the point of making children dress up like grown ups? Let them be children while they can!

sunshinenanny · 05/06/2011 19:11

Well said Anniel! a business man is not a child and therefore it's not relevant what they wear. If a child is well groomed in the school colours I don't see a problem with shorts. It's just petty to insist on long trousers in hot weather.

Schools should teach not obsess about what children wear

sunshinenanny · 05/06/2011 19:12

Having had my say! I do think the poster on this thread is having a laugh

nickschick · 05/06/2011 19:18

This is ridiculous.

At ds secondary school when eldest Ds began attending the headmaster stood at the front of the assembly hall and said ' in this school,in this world there are rules,most of them unfair,most of them thought up by people they wont affect but rules are rules nonetheless in this school we are over subscribed heavily for every one of you there were 3 children who wanted to sit on your seat so these are the rules 1/ in my school girls are girls and will wear a skirt boys are boys and will wear trousers -there are no bends no exceptions that is a rule if you dont like it go somewhere else and one of those 3 children will gladly fill your seat - its a simple basic rule and one you cannot change- dont try,nobody wants a rule breaker'.

Funnily enough no boys ever ask to wear a skirt and in winter the girls wear thick wool tights and dont want to wear trousers.

AgentProvocateur · 05/06/2011 19:20

Did you not get banned from posting in your previous name of DiMaggio? There were several threads about school skirts and cross dressing etc, IIRC.

nickschick · 05/06/2011 19:21

rumbled.

sunshinenanny · 05/06/2011 19:29

Rules are rules? It doesn't matter if they are fair?

I agree life is not always fair and children need to take that on board but People blindly following rules have been known to commit mass murder in the past! so I question that one, nickschick

cinpin · 05/06/2011 21:41

Goodness how arrogant that headmaster sounds. let children wear what they feel comfy in maybe they will learn better. OP please tell your son to cross his legs tomorrow if he is going in a skirt.

nickschick · 06/06/2011 07:21

To be fair he was a cracking headmaster - left shortly afterwards to implement his practices in failing schools.

We went into it eyes wide open.

sugartongue · 06/06/2011 09:11

uniform is a really important way of making kids behave and enforcing discipline generally, but the shorts/trousers thing is unproductive and unfair. Schools are unairconditioned and full of glass and in the summer it gets very hot. Kids won't concentrate or work well when they are hot! It's also totally arbitrary given that some places insist on shorts all year round! (admittedly in primary years). Shirt, tie, blazer and shorts does look pretty wierd, but i've known schools that insist on trousers when it's only a t-shirt and sweatshirt uniform anyway!

Kez100 · 06/06/2011 09:44

Be better (and cheaper) to write a letter to argue and pursuade the HT to bring in shorts for boys. Or do it via the school council as a group request.

Original poster

glesgal · 06/06/2011 17:54

Well he seems to have backed out, largely because of attitudes like expressed on this thread and its not worth him being bullied over it. That other boy was lucky to have all his friends and even the school back him up.

The last name had a technical glitch and wouldn't log in so I had to make a new one. I even emailed to ask why and noone even replied, frickin rude. Obviously I wasn't banned as I would have been told so and didn't write anythng offensive that I can see. (did that name have 'several' threads about skirts, crossdressing or are you confusing it with other posters?)

OP posts:

LynetteScavo · 06/06/2011 18:02

He's backed out before he even wore the skirt?

And I don't reckon the other lad had everyone behind him....he will have experienced bullying too.

And it's not that long ago that girls in trousers had the same reaction that boys in skirts now has.

I think if boys want to wear skirts, they should wear them out of school first, and then try to get them accepted as uniform.

Boys who only wear skirts to school and at no other time are just trying to make a point to authority.

sunshinenanny · 06/06/2011 22:09

LynetteScavo, you miss the point, the boy was trying to make the school see how unfair it is that girls can be physically cool in skirts but boys cannot wear shorts for the same reason.

Sugartongue, There is a private school near me with an excellent reputation for learning and good behaviour and guess what? They don't have a formal uniform. I think sometimes too much importance is given to the straight- jacketing of children in impractical and uncomfortable clothes. It's possible to be smart, well groomed and have pride in your school and have a dress code rather than a uniform.

geraldinetheluckygoat · 06/06/2011 22:16

Could he not protest by just wearing shorts? Or am I wildly missing the point?

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