A school has sparked outrage among parents after banning girls from wearing skirts.
As part of a new rule for the upcoming school year, Tiverton High School from Devon, UK, revealed that female students would no longer be allowed to wear skirts to school.
The move was allegedly taken to create a more gender-neutral environment and counter the issue revolving around girls who wore skirts that were too short.
As the school explained, girls would no longer be allowed to wear skirts to school except during physical education starting September 2022.
“We will follow other secondary schools in implementing a more gender-neutral uniform policy,” headteacher Sammy Crook told the students’ parents in a letter.
“Parents/carers will be pleased to know that the majority of the uniform will remain as it is, with the exception that from September all students will be expected to wear trousers.”
The ban on skirts quickly sparked outrage among parents whose daughters – and in some cases sons – preferred wearing skirts for personal reasons.
Among furious parents was also Stephen Moakes who lashed out at the school’s policy changes saying parents were not consulted about the matter.
“As a parent, I have concerns about the proposed changes THS are making for September 2022. These have been made without any consultation with the pupils or parents and are simply being imposed,” he said.
“While I accept an element of rules and policies need to be made, I feel that as a school that encourages its pupils to be engaged and have a voice this seems to be a complete lack of democracy by not allowing the established pupil forums to have input on school uniform changes.”
Crook, however, has since the backlash doubled down on her skirts ban saying the policy “balances the demands placed on us in matters including standards of education, parental cost, inclusivity and student health.”
“By moving to ‘trousers only’ we have particularly responded to the ‘trend’ for girls in the school to abuse the current policy and wear approved skirts shorter than they should, in and out of school.point 525 |
The wearing of skirts shorter than knee length, which is our current policy, has attracted many complaints from the public and from visitors to the school,” she told Devon Live.point 150 | 1
Crook added: “We have not limited availability of trousers to one brand, and have made suggestions that give parents options around price and fit, and on the whole trousers should prove a cheaper option than skirts.
“It is in our existing policy that shorts can be worn in the summer term and this will not change, and there is no change to our policy around sports skirts. We will consider and respond to individual circumstances, as we have always done, where there is medical or other need.”
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