Headteacher backtracks after calling for 'gender neutral' uniform

[hellooooooomama]

He was going to ban skirts.

Parental feedback was not sought initially, but they've had plenty of it since the change was announced!

My opinion. Police the children effectively if they're not wearing it properly. Don't punish the girls who are following the rules.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9915zgvjk4o?at_link_id=743ED69C-41D3-11F0-AA25-C9355B601FDF&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_link_origin=BBC_Essex&at_link_type=web_link&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_medium=social&at_format=image&at_campaign_type=owned&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKuxqJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk6aensTQMd06TSswic5MxNQHZ2Ru4bMWTwlqBl_l3XOBjgDph5zvELMd7g9_aem_wrAH7AjLCJqPj7Nn6TwJcg

Honestly, I’m exhausted by the so-called feminists who are quick to sneer at teenage girls just for doing what teenage girls do. Policing young girls' choices while claiming to stand for female empowerment isn't feminism.

Feminists might also like to ponder why on non-uniform days we have girls coming in in tiny black shorts and crop tops while the boys come in in t-shirts and joggers.

Feminists might want to think about why young girls' choices lead to increasing bare flesh while boys' choices lead to comfortable outfits. They might want to consider whether those are actually free choices.

I was a middle manager in a secondary school. We had girls turning up in 'leggings' which would have counted as woolly tights when I was at school.

Male staff couldn't say anything, for the reasons that you've given.

Had one girl wearing what appeared to be black lacy tights with red knickers showing through.

As discreetly as possible, I explained the problem. The response? "Ye shouldnae be looking!"

You are not going to find any woman on a feminist forum proposing we incorporate Sharia law into UK law. Anymore than you would propose giving girls the option of going to school naked on boiling hot days. Unless you would?

They have tiny elasticated skirts now, you don't even need to roll it over. It seems to be the trend, worn with usually thickish black, sometimes sheer tights. School needs to address how it is worn, not ban them entirely. I'm surprised this head teacher doesn't have his tape measure out 😂

No, they are both the product of the same environment that sexualises children.

See now you are using misogynists' language to support your arguments. Feminists do not use the word 'trampy'; you are the person using it.

noblegiraffe · Today 10:16

Lots of schools solve this by making the skirt option a hideous kilt that the girls wouldn’t be seen dead in.

When I started teaching in my last school in the ‘90s they were just about to start taking girls in all years, instead of just the sixth form. (Sixth formers wear ‘business dress’, not a specific uniform.) The kilt was chosen deliberately because it looks odd rolled up: when it is the pleats stick out in an unflattering way.
30 years later it’s still the same kilt and doesn’t get rolled up more than by an inch or two.
”Plain, grey tailored trousers” have always been an option, but I cannot remember ever seeing any girl wearing them, certainly not in the last 25 years. Those trousers have (now) to be bought from the school shop, so perhaps the style or fabric is the problem.

I’m very surprised that a previous poster says that girls do wear pleated school uniform skirts rolled up. Perhaps they are a different style.

I live in a city which has a lot of school groups visiting, in uniform. I’ve always been interested to see the various skirt styles - often nowadays straight skirts are very short and pleated ones are longer, but it depends on the school. Usually skirts are a bit longer for all girls in schools where some of the girls are wearing hijabs.

Really? I'd have thought that it'd be more of a problem in a skirt (I don't have heavy periods thankfully and I don't want to go into more detail given some of trolls that lurk around topics like this 🤢).

Really. I'll not go into detail for the same reason that you've given.

Crop tops are not allowed at our school and we don't really do non uniform day, there is maybe one a year and that's in winter so we don't encounter this issue.

School trousers are often just not made with girls' bodies in mind. As girls go through puberty, their bodies change they get hips, waists, curves but the trousers tend to be cut in a way that doesn’t allow for that. They’re often too tight in some places and too loose in others, and the fabric doesn’t stretch much. Super uncomfortable and unflattering. (Cue the shrieks from those who say girls at school shouldn’t have to worry about whether their clothes are flattering. Sure.)

Boys’ trousers, on the other hand, are usually looser and more comfortable, with better pockets and a fit that’s just more practical for moving around all day.

There really are bigger problems in society and eduction in particular than policing girls skirts.

These threads come up from time to time, and I’m sure it must be very cathartic for the controlling stickler types who love to keep everyone, especially young teenagers in line.

For all those saying that requiring girls to cover their arses is controlling, would you be happy for the boys to wear their trousers belted so low that their underpants are completely exposed?

At the moment, boys aren't allowed to do this, and no-one seems to have a problem with that. And yet it seems that it should be acceptable for girls to do it in a skirt that doesn't cover what it needs to cover.

Why one rule for boys and a different one for girls?

Crop tops are not allowed at our school

Misogyny! Why are you denying girls the right to be fashionable and wear their tops how they like??

Why one rule for boys and a different one for girls?
😂Girls and women have asked themselves this throughout human history

Calm down

There is a lot to be said for ditching the traditional school uniform and having uniform tracksuits like in China. The kids can play and be active, it’s more forgiving of different sizes and shapes and nobody can see anyone’s underwear or vpl. Normal school trousers for girls are almost always absolutely horrible. It’s much easier to find trousers to for boys/men than it is women/girls whereas skirts that for the waist just fit anyone with that waist size.

No arses visible. Top or bottom. Just no arses. I'm gender neutral in this opinion.

No arses visible. Top or bottom. Just no arses. I'm gender neutral in this opinion

Yep

The elastic micro skirts are not flattering on many girls either. It is not just trousers that have that issue.

Seems a sensible idea that doesn't unfairly target anyone 🙃

That’s not why we were doing it, we were all doing it to show our legs off.

I agree.

No arses for boys or girls.

That's fair.

Some people on here seem to love discussing teenage girls bodies in a sneery and moralising way. Each to their own I guess. I can’t help thinking there’s some serious projection going on. So much finger wagging and trying to justify their controlling stuck up tendencies. They’d probably love to make modest clothing mandatory for all women.

Did you not read my post about false accusations against male members of staff?

Yes, it was a small minority, but as always, the few spoil it for the many.

Sounds like school trousers for teen girls need to be redesigned and made so that they actually fit a developing female body. Have any of the major uniform sellers been approached and asked to redesign the girls’ range?

No need for anyone’s arses, genitals or boobs to be on display at school, and especially underage children.

Why is it wrong to ask girls to follow the same rule as boys and not have their arse hanging out at school?