Worcester school mirrors replaced with 'provocative' posters

[DerekFaker]

I understand the intention here, but I think it's failed badly it its execution and comes across more like shaming girls for wearing makeup etc.

Just have an assembly and tell people not to hang around in the toilets! Or put up some posters saying that instead.

"According to images posted on social media some of the quotes included "beauty is nothing without brains" and "make-up is a harmful drug".

The temporary measure was introduced after some "misuse" said the school.

The school's head teacher, Neil Morris, said the bathroom had become a "congregational social area" with some older students blocking the path to toilets, while they socialised."

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-64836291.amp

And did they do the same in the boys toilets? My guess is no….

Was the problem the same in the boys toilet ?

My guess is no

Well I suppsoe it depends whether the boys were also hanging around in the toilets, but it is generally girls and women who get subjected to shaming tactics.

Doubt they put them up in the boys' lavatories. I have ambivalent feelings about make-up (only wear it very, very occasionally) being a seventies feminist, and would discourage its use, especially the plastered on look now fashionable among young girls. But shaming girls for wearing it is not on. I see in the article that the school claims it was an English teacher's idea to stimulate discussion. If so, hamfisted.

As in understand it - DC not at this school but live in Worcester.

Mirror replacement and posters, part of English department debate week.

Behaviour issue is being addressed by CCTV in the Lois - but not in cubicles etc

Uhhmmm so girls finding somewhere to socialise without the opposite sex being present.

But the teachers thought it was more about vanity instead......

says it all really

To be fair if girls feel shamed when make up and excessive use of mirrors is discouraged we have some big problems

midgemadgemodge So you think they were spending all this time touching make up?
not as the even the school put it socialising? (without boys being present)

The school's head teacher, Neil Morris, said the bathroom had become a "congregational social area" with some older students blocking the path to toilets, while they socialised."

given the reports on the amount of sexual harassment and assault in schools is it any wonder they hang out in the girls toilet?

What’s wrong with a congregational social area? Isn’t part of school developing social skills?

Something I did at one workplace - because the kids were using office windows with a slight mirrored effect due to not having mirrors in the toilets - was stick a sign up at face level saying 'You are beautiful'.

I was doing it because it was quite distracting having a mirror's eye view of kids (boys as well) checking their hair/makeup/skin right by my desk - but I didn't see the need to be insulting or aggressive about it when they were often checking out of insecurity or fear they didn't look 'right'. The sign seemed to go down well, as the kids went from constant checks to the occasional glance and smile.

Sounds as though they need a girls (females) only common room.

It's a rough school, appalling bullying, and vandalism in the loos. I guess they were trying different things.

Way to make less intelligent girls feel like they might as well give up now. Even more so if they aren't generally considered to be beautiful.

Older girls hanging around the loos is a recipe for bullying.
It was happening 30 years ago in my school, only the cool girls were smoking, not applying make-up.

For what it’s worth, children shouldn’t be wearing make-up as it’s dreadful for young acne-prone skin.

I agree with the sentiment of the school, but not the execution. They are not addressing the root of the problem.

I vote they keep them and put up an alternative poster for boys

How about 'leave it alone or it'll drop off'

If you're going to do this kind of thing at least shame all of them

From what I can understand, it just wasn't very well thought rather than a message behind it.

Hello fellow Worcester lady! I agree. Teachers are human beings who are under a lot of pressure. It sounds like this wasn't really discussed or thought about very deeply. I wonder if the teacher who thought of it is a bit inexperienced?

The head needs to show some leadership.

If girls wearing makeup is a problem they need to enforce the school rules. If bullying is a problem in the toilets they need to tackle bullying. If they want to have a provocative discussion in English lessons about appearance/ personality/ intelligence they should address this to all pupils in English lessons and maybe run it by a few other teachers to get some perspective first.

"The school's head teacher, Neil Morris, said the bathroom had become a "congregational social area" with some older students blocking the path to toilets, while they socialised."
So basically the head looked at it only superficially. Regarded the congregating in the loos as THE problem, rather than ask himself WHY the girls were doing this. Maybe solving it by providing another space that girls could be free from the teenaged boys, perhaps?

The funny thing is - normally the head likes getting his pic in the paper 🤣

(I don't actually know anything about head / school but he does seem to like voicing his opinions to local media)

Minor detail but why is he calling it the bathroom.

Is this the school that's taken the external doors off the toilets as well as this?

The number of adults who channel their inner dictator when faced with girls doing normal bonding / socialising is depressing.

My thought too. It’s a toilet. Which school was it?

Ah I see. Christopher Whitehead.

Absolutely this!

Not sure if this applies to this particular school/situation but at the moment many schools in my local area are aware of girls (and it is girls rather than boys) spending most of break and some of lunch time in toilet areas to vape. Younger/less confident/non vaping girls then don’t feel comfortable using the toilets during school hours which isn’t ideal. Not sure where boys vape but it doesn’t seem to be in toilet areas!