[UK] Boys come to school wearing skirts following ban on shorts

[Stephen!]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/22/boys-come-school-wearing-skirts-following-ban-shorts/

Teenage boys at a school in Exeter came to school wearing skirts this week, in protest at a ban on wearing shorts.

Around 50 pupils at ISCA Academy are understood to be taking part in the protest today, after a small group of boys came to school in girls' uniform yesterday.

"My son wanted to wear shorts but was told he would be put in the isolation room for the rest of the week," the mother of one 14-year-old told Devon Live yesterday.

"The head teacher told them 'Well you can wear a skirt if you like' but I think she was being sarcastic

"However children tend to take you literally and so five boys turned up in skirts today – and because she told them it was ok there was nothing she could do as long as they are school skirts."

One of the five boys is believed to have got in trouble because his dress was too short - and another boy, Josh Baxter, told reporters he'd been told to change back to trousers as he "had hairy legs."

Mother Claire Reeves told Devon Live: "[The school] have told me that if I send my son to school in shorts then he will be sent to the isolation room all day and if I keep him off school then it'll be an unauthorised absence.

"The girls are allowed to wear skirts all year round so I think it's completely unfair that the boys can't wear shorts.

"Boys just don't have the option and I am just really concerned about how the heat is going to affect him."

Following the pupils' protest the school has said it would considering changing its uniform policy in future.

"We recognise that the last few days have been exceptionally hot and we are doing our utmost to enable both students and staff to remain as comfortable as possible," said headteacher Aimee Mitchell.

"Shorts are not currently part of our uniform for boys and I would not want to make any changes without consulting both students and their families.

"However, with hotter weather becoming more normal, I would be happy to consider a change for the future."

.

 

[auntiehill]

Good for them!

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

I noticed this except same thing happening in several places at the moment.
I read a story about a bus driver, and a couple of other employees using the exact same workaround.
Pretty funny if this becomes a viral thing around the world (and maybe establishing skirts for men as acceptable fashion as a side effect)

 

[Stephen!]

Do they wear kilts as part of school uniforms in Scotland?

 

[Relayer1]

...maybe establishing skirts for men as acceptable fashion

Skant.

It's called a skant...

 

[MacLeod]

What ever happened to common sense and having allowances for variations in dress codes between summer and winter.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

So let me get this straight, the boys aren't allowed to wear shorts but skirts are okay, except for when their hairy legs are showing? Um, doesn't that also happen when they wear shorts? Stupid people. Let them wear shorts, skirts, or whatever.

I think that the boys should show up to school wearing just their underwear.

Also the girls should get the pants/shorts option too.

 

[cultcross]

I suspect the 'hairy legs' thing was what we used to call a joke.

The kids did a great job, a simple, peaceful, non disruptive but very effective protest that made a clear point and made the school look silly.

 

[MacLeod]

Looks like common sense has prevailed (or more likely bad publicity) and a new dress code is set to come in next year and shorts will be permitted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-40383290

It doesn't say if girls will be allowed the option of shorts however.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Back in my day, boys at my school had to wear shorts summer and winter until we were in the 3rd form (13-14). Girls could wear trousers to stop perves looking up their skirts when they crossed the footbridge over a main road.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Also the girls should get the pants/shorts option too.

Girls already have the option to wear pants, and presumably (hopefully) will get the option of wearing shorts as well when the boys do, otherwise they might have another protest on their hands.
http://www.iscaexeter.co.uk/useful-information/uniform-and-equipment

Seems that all the kids are required to wear plain black shorts for P.E., so I don't see why they couldn't have let the boys wear a separate pair of black shorts for class when it's hot. Whatever, it's been resolved for good now.

Anyway, officer thinking on the part of the kids doing the protest. Shows initiative.

 

[φ of π]

I wonder if that was what happened in Season 1 of TNG. Shorts weren't a part of Starfleet's uniform so some guys wore skirts in protest.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Q: "What's worn under the kilt?"
A: "Nothing - it's all in perfect working order."

 

[Gov Kodos]

Q: "What's worn under the kilt?"
A: "Nothing - it's all in perfect working order."

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[Tesophius]

Smart boys. Idiotic regulations.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Good for them.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Greek Evzones can carry off the skirt look as well:

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