School uniform rule - girls not allowed trousers

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

I'm wondering if I can call on the collective wisdom of you good people to help me construct my argument in the best way.

Dd (5) and yr 1 attends a local R.C primary school that I am more than happy with. She suffers from recurrent thrush and this year I noticed that when she wore tights under her pinafore it seemed to exasperate the problem. I checked the school prospectus for details because I have never seen a girl in trousers at the school and it states that girls must wear a pinafore or skirt as school uniform..

I then emailed the head and explained the issue and asked for clarification on the rules and she said that the last time the issue came before the chair of governors they decided not to introduce trousers as part of the girls uniform. She was very sympathetic and pleasant and said that if I got a doctors letter perhaps she.could allow it.

Now, there is no way dd would wear trousers if no one else was and I also feel that this would high light the issue / invite questions into something that is no one else's business.

So if you are still with me, I want to get the issue raised again with the chair of governors because I cannot think of any valid reason in this day and age why girls should not wear trousers if the want to. I have to speak at a parent voice meeting and if I can muster enough support the issue will be on the agenda of the next governors meeting where I can present my argument.

Where to start? Can anyone offer pointers?

Sorry for the essay

I know on the scheme of things it's minor and a fwp, but it makes me ever so cross - it's completely unnecessary and does only harm, no benefit whatsoever in restricting girls to skirts.
Tradition? That could just as well be an argument for not educating girls at all. Ffs.

I don't think it is minor. Every single school day those students are being groomed into a particular role - being told by institutions that are given authority that girls can only look smart in one particular way and that tradition is more important than their comfort or equality. I don't think there's anything that minor about that.

It's not minor, she's only 5 and already being told she needs to dress a certain way to maintain her ornamental status.

Well done for trying, I'm at a loss with what you could do next - stand for the governors and fight from within perhaps?

Contact your local paper, and local MP. Get all the parents who want their daughters to wear trousers to wear them in uniform colours in the autumn. They can't fight you all. Also say it's part of your culture that women and girls wear trousers (as it is) and they are discriminating against your daughter expressing her cultural values.

It's just a pair of trousers and there is no good reason for not letting girls wear them.

Oh my good Lord. I cannot believe they ruled against it.

I would wholeheartedly support an MN campaign, Change petition or the like on this issue. Pure discrimination.

Oh no op how crap and yes they are essentially saying the boys don't look smart. If you start a Twitter campaign let us know I will support you.

No no apparently the boys do look smart, but the girls would end up wearing cheap nasty trousers which would damage the reputation of the school. Honestly, it's just mind boggling.

I'm sorry you are so upset by this. Seems to me the only way uniform changes is by child request not parent. If enough kids wanted to or were not bothered it would alter.

Tbh apart from the equality angle I think the other reasons are not reasons. Just personal taste.

Have you tried a sad face photo in local press?

Have

Oh Fish, gutted.

I didn't realise this thread was still going, but I was there with you at the beginning of the thread, and it really made me cross.

Don't let it die a death. I think we should get a mumsnet campaign going. What a ridiculous line to take...cheap nasty trousers. It beggars belief.

I haven't read all the recent posts. Are you a lone figure at your DDs school on this issue, or are there other mums who feel the same?

Do you know any mums with sons already at the school with daughters who'll be attending in the future, who might want to become involved?

I feel like shaking the other parents at the school gate on your behalf, and shouting "how can this not make your blood boil?"

That's such a shame.

I'd be in favour of a campaign too - at DDs school girl's are allowed trousers but there is a ridiculous ling list of what girl's can wear in certain years while it's just trousers or shorts for boys.

I'd like to see a simpler list that is not gender specific, so 5yo boys who find cardigans easier to get on and off aren't breaking the rules...

How depressing.

Never mind eh? She can go back to just being ornamental, no need to worry her pretty little head with practical stuff.

I've reported my op to hq to ask about starting a campaign on this, could I ask those in favour to do the same please?

I don't know what to do. Am waiting for the official letter from the board and then am going to contact the equality commission and MP.. Have contacted all the independent schools in the area and none allow trousers, so next to try and get her a place in a good state school that has a place for sept. Also ds is starting reception in sept which further complicates matters. Argggggghhhhhh
I don't want her being educated by a bunch of bigots but don't want her moving to sink hole school either to make a point

Have I killed the thread

That's usually my job!

What a shame that it's come to you looking around for another school .

Don't know if you've already mentioned this, but what about getting a petition from the parents?

Who is on the board? Would you be able to approach your priest?

Maybe if enough parents write letters to the board of govenors they would take the issue more seriously?

I think you might need to write to the board again and again and again. Could you put forward the argument that if the uniform policy were changed to incorporate girls having the option of wearing trousers, that it could be stipulated in the prospectus that leggings are not appropriate, and that only school uniform trousers would be allowed?

Maybe write something like..

"I am aware of the board's bullshit concerns that allowing girls to wear trousers might result in a lowering standard of smartness. I have given this matter much thought, and think that were the rules to be changed, this could be overcome by stipulating in the prospectus and school uniform policy that girls are not permitted to wear leggings or jeans, and that school trousers for both male and female pupils must be of equal smartness and of a formal, not casual style.

You could also add that you have done some research with regards to this, and have found that several supermarkets sell high quality girls' trousers specifically intended for school uniform, which are of the same standard of smartness to the ones they make for boys...etc...etc...etc.

You might even mention that when you see girls from other schools with a non sexist less traditional uniform policy, you are hard pushed to find any girls who looked less smart on the basis of their school trousers alone.

Play them at their own game, Fish!

If I were you, I'd carry on beavering away at this, remaining calm, pretending that you respect their concerns, addressing them as if they are serious and valid points, but always counter arguing with a sound and sensible argument.

I would finish with something along the lines of..now that I have understood and addressed the boards concerns and tried to demonstrate ways of overcoming any potential pit falls that changing the uniform policy might have resulted in, I kindly ask the board to reconsider its stance on the issue.

Yours respectfully....

What about becoming a govenor? Imagine!

I am also thinking that another angle might be something like this...

Might not work if you're not a practising Catholic, mind you, but I would be tempted to point out, most respectfully, how wonderful it is that the Catholic church has become much more forward thinking under the guidance of Pope Francis, and how many changes came about when John Paul II was Pope.

Traditionally, only priests could give Holy Communion, where as now, lay people are often seen undertaking this honor during mass (at my church anyway). Traditionally, alter servers were boys, but the church has evolved, as it sees that girls are equal and so are just as able to be alter servers.

What I'm getting at, is that whilst there is a need to respect tradition, times have moved on, and if the church itself is able to evolve in this way, the school should too. Surely if the church can undergo such a shift in tradition as to encourage girls to be alter servers, the school ought to be seriously considering changes to the traditional school uniform policyl

The main concerns of parents and govenors at a Catholic school, ought to be the education, safety, faith (add other ideas here if you wish) of its pupils. Allowing girls to wear trousers does not inhibit any of these core principles etc etc

Apologies for two ridiculously long and waffly posts!

I would be interested to see how this school reacted if a Muslim girl from a reasonably conservative family enrolled. I'm sure her parents would want her to wear a headscarf and trousers, and I don't think the school could get away with saying no in this case.

I'm in outer London and our house backs onto the local primary school field. Looking out there right now some girls are wearing the traditional gingham dresses, some girls are wearing trousers, and from what I can see all the girls wearing headscarves are also wearing trousers.

You simply could not have this rule in an ethically diverse area! Could that be a way to frame an argument against this ruling?

Quacks, it's a Catholic school. Given it's also a school where the governors apparently value "tradition" above practicality, equality and comfort I doubt such an argument would hold much sway. It might even make some of them (probably secretly) even less keen on trousers for girls.

Oops sorry missed that.

So, I got a letter today from the chairman of board (local priest) saying the reasons for the boards decision would be on the minutes of the meeting which would be publicly available after meeting in autumn term. And there is no right to appeal. So they aren't even polite even to reply to me.

So frustrating.

Oh no .

So they're making you wait till September?

Surely as a parent with concerns about a school issue, they have to report back within a certain time frame?

That's such a long time.

I'm so disappointed in them, and my DCs don't even go to that school, goodness how you must be feeling about it all, Fish.

OP I've been lurking on the thread from the start and in completely on your side. I'm very seriously considering adding trousers-permitted-for-girls to my school selection criteria but I share your worry about disadvantaging DD over it. I've requested a mumsnet campaign, will see how we go. Have you also considered a petition on change.org eg?