School brings in trousers only rule for all pupils - schoolgirls said to be in tears ...

[IwantToRetire]

Schoolgirls have been left "in tears" after a controversial new uniform rule was enforced at the start of the school year, with furious parents claiming some pupils were stopped from attending lessons.

The row has erupted after Co-op Academies Trust introduced a trousers-only policy across its secondary schools from September.
Some families have refused to accept the change, with pupils at Co-op Academy Failsworth in Oldham arriving for their first day back on Wednesday wearing skirts.

Parents claim that a number of Year 11 girls were not allowed into class, with other pupils affected when they returned on Thursday.

The policy also applies at Co-op Academy Walkden, Co-op Academy Swinton, Co-op Academy North Manchester, Co-op Academy Manchester and Co-op Academy Belle Vue.

Full article https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/schoolgirls-tears-being-turned-away-100800000.html

How are police and paramedics able to wear work trousers in the summer for 12 hour shifts without getting heat stress...?

@IwantToRetire "Amazing how on a supposedly feminist forum so many are saying it is because women are the problem that this has had to happen."

Well I guess if girls are going into school showing their arses and knickers, then it is a problem. Boys are going to look aren't they! That's not ingrained misogyny, it's called sexual attraction - which is as old as time. Do you really envisage some kind of futuristic world where men aren't remotely interested in female bodies? If boys were rolling down their trousers to show their underpants or leaving their flies undone, then it would be equally wrong for school and a solution would need to be found.

Are they being forced by the boys to roll their skirts up?

Well if I had a daughter I would have for her to be undermined by an enforced notion that what women / girls do is the problem.

Let alone to know which seems to be the case from PP that there are handmaidens to the patriarchy in schools enforcing the notion that because boys dont know how to behave girls have to moderate how they behave and dress.

But I suppose it will prepare them for the future adult female world.

You mean you were out on you own. You mean you drank alcohol. You trusted a taxi firm.

That's pretty sick and depressing to read on a feminist forum.

It doesn't matter why or how they roll up their skirts.

If it was an all girls school, unless one really old fashioned notions of modesty, it wouldn't be a problem.

It is because society which only validates boys behaviour is that if they do roll up their skirts "they are asking for it".

And these naughty provocative girls should learn early on that even when it isn't their fault, they will be told it is.

Which is what you are doing.

What sort of "feminist" message is that.

Crikey, there's such a lot of fuss about school uniform. It shouldn't be this difficult.

Teenage children are massively concerned with the way they look, so personally, I'd give them as many options as (appropriately) possible.

IF the issue is short skirts and rolling them up, then A) have a rule, which is enforced, and B) maybe some lessons about why girls might do that. It could be viewed as an opportunity, rather than a condemnation.

What a woman does is a problem, if it s a problem. Simple as

I dont know why you're bringing in alcohol and taxis, presumably referring to rape

This is simply about ensuring that children are not showing off their bums and knickers. That is not a difficult concept, it is not appropriate in terms of social presentation to do that. A school has a right to dictate what goes on, on its property.

If kids and their parents think its ok, want to dress like that at the weekend, crack on. I wouldnt let my daughter out looking like that because its about basic standards of presentation.

Similarly my son does not range about the local neighbourhood presenting as a little road man like some of the other scallies. That is not appropriate presentation either, those clothes and that look has to change, its not allowed.

You cant just say you can do whatever you like and run against social norms because you're a woman.

Good. I live near a couple of these schools. The rolling up of skirts at the top is ridiculous. Lots of teenage girls do it and it looks terrible. For all of them to wear trousers makes absolute sense. Many will no doubt be wearing jeans outside of school so I’m nit sure where this 1950s idea of women not being physically capable of learning whilst betrousered comes from.

Because, unfortunately, many girls wear skirts that are way too short, and are frankly a safeguarding issue. A lot of male (and to a lesser extent female) staff are genuinely scared that they will face accusations that they are looking. Enforcing rules around skirt length is a minefield for all staff.

Trousers are safer and generally easier to enforce as a uniform item.

I agree 100% with this! So much easier all round if everyone wears trousers.

However, I think school uniform trousers that are sold in the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, M&S and so on are pretty horrible. They're cheap, scratchy rubbishy fabrics and I certainly wouldn't want to wear them. But I very much dislike skirts and much prefer trousers!

The pupils should be permitted to wear their own choice of trousers in the school's preferred colour (most likely black, grey or navy), which should be pretty easy to obtain.

The uniform policy states smart black trousers.

these are relatively easily available as lots of adult workplaces either require black trousers or men and women choose to wear them so I would imagine this actually makes uniform cheaper then eg branded trousers or a skirt.

the policy seems to say that the change is because of the new limit in the number of branded uniform items,

black trousers are cheap and readily available in a lot of shops in a lot of sizes.

seems a reasonable decision

Deal with the girls and young women who are rolling up skirts if they wear them and then spend half or more of the day sitting awkwardly or adjusting their clothing.

Deal with the boys and young men who wear their trousers too low so you can see their probably dirty underwear and who fail to realise what this originally signified in men's prisons.

The only thing I can think is wrong here is if parents did not raise objections last term via the formal complaints procedure when the policy was announced.

Skirts of reasonable length should be an option.

Really?! I rarely wear a skirt or dress these days; smart trousers for the office and jeans the rest of the time. I’m still a woman I think. Clothes are just clothes. Putting on a dress does not make a man a woman or vice versa. Unless I’ve accidentally transitioned?

Its almost comical how parents are adamant their 5/6/7 year old dd MUST wear shorts under their uniform for modesty, but then a few years later fight for their dd's right to walk around school with their bum cheeks on show!

I’m not sure what on earth the school board were thinking imposing this new rule, forcing girls to wear what the boys traditionally wear was always bound to annoy people and reinforce the belief that women’s identity is trying to be erased

It’s funny that feminists spent so long campaigning to be allowed to wear trousers and now the so called feminists are aghast at girls wearing them all over again.

it wasn’t that long ago that no girls school
would allow trousers and women in the work place had to wear skirts and heels. Is this really better than trousers?

What utter rubbish. Trousers do not make someone one sex or another

Otherwise lipstick and heels would make someone a woman. Is that the case?

No of course it isnt.

Women are not being erased at all.

Fgs tears over trousers? They'll all own jeans.

The skirts common in the secondary school girls locally are so short they barely cover the bum, it's not appropriate. I've got every sympathy with this. School should be the experience of needing to follow the dress codes that will be entirely normal in most workplaces.

Amazed to find out I’ve been inadvertently dressing as a man.

School uniform rule changes always trigger a flood of regional newspaper sad face pictures because little Johnny/Jacinta can’t wear their favourite trainers or whatever.

I can’t get excited at all about a school requiring smart black trousers. Many uniforms have trousers for both sexes, and no one on earth will believe that any of the girls in that school can’t find a plain black trouser.

Honestly, I’m most ways I’m anti- uniform, especially where the rules are draconian or excessive. I really don’t think a plain black trouser counts.

Surely we campaigned for choice? Forcing girls/women to wear skirts and heels is no different to forcing them to wear trousers.

I hardly ever wear trousers FWIW. I can never find any that fit well and are comfortable. I've also never rolled my skirt up to make it shorter.

The uniform policy states smart black trousers

But I bet certain types of trousers aren't acceptable - e.g. stretchy, skinny fit or slightly cropped length which a lot of girls find fit better 🤷‍♀️

Give me a break. Our school recently have the option for all girls to wear trousers and now I would say 80% of them prefer to do so.

Uniforms are not a choice, thats the definition of a uniform. There are plenty of professionals wearing trousers as part of their working uniform.

I wonder how many of the girls who are in tears at having to wear trousers as uniform actually wear skirts out of school. I bet very rarely.

In fact, I would bet my house on pretty much every school girl choosing to wear trousers or shorts outside of school the vast majority of the time.

It's really not a big deal if skirts aren't allowed at school.

That wasn't my point though. A uniform can have choices within it and still be uniform.