Now two Northern Irish students are pushing for a change in uniform rules.
Astrid Knox and Rhea Flood from Enniskillen have launched a campaign calling for girls to be allowed to wear trousers at school.
"You can learn the same in trousers as in skirts" said Rhea.
I don't understand why schools still insist on girls wearing skirts, and not giving them the choice of skirts or trousers. Trousers are obviously more sensible and easier to move around in.
Skirts are sometimes justified on the basis that they're "traditional". Well, bikinis and high heels are traditional, but we don't expect to see them on schoolgirls.
There was no uniform to speak of at my two schools. A shirt, jacket and trousers were all I needed, though my prep school required the official school blazer with its blue and white stripes. It still does (and I noticed in passing that the girls are wearing skirts).
If schools insist on having a uniform (and there are arguments for and against) they might at least require one that's comfortable and practical.
NB: The photo is from an advert, so I assume she was happy for her photo to be circulated.
Nick, why is she wearing a tie ? Not the usual accessoire for a girl .The British rituals always seem out of time. They need a Rosa Parks. Civil disobedience. The only positive point for a school uniform is that there will be no difference between children with rich or poor parents which can be a real problem for a child, but then the uniform must be exactly the same for girls and boys. Anyway the British school system seems to be a very selective one.
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Hannah: Indeed, some civil disobedience is called for, like a large number of schoolgirls refusing to wear skirts. The British school system is peculiar - alongside the state school system there's a strong network of private schools which are seen as higher quality than the state schools.
DeleteBy the same argument you may advocate for boys to be allowed to wear skirts. It's hardly as if THEY have a "choice", is it?
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Ursula: Absolutely, boys should be able to wear skirts if they want.
DeleteIt probably is indeed mostly about cultural inertia, which they prefer to call "tradition" -- we have to do it this way because we've always done it this way. I don't see any logical reason for it. Most likely the rule continues because at most schools no one has seriously opposed it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first Anon about ties. Girls' uniforms these days often seem to include ties, which is not traditional (for girls), and looks distinctly odd to me. There's no basis for requiring boys to wear them either. Among adults, hardly anyone wears a tie any more except politicians.
Infidel: Yes, "tradition" just means cultural inertia, as you say. As you may have gathered, I hate ties and I don't see why people have to wear them. They serve no purpose whatsoever except to fall in whatever you're eating.
DeleteI'm old enough to have worn a tie back when it was obligatory even for low-level office workers. It always reminded me of a leash.
DeleteFortunately most of my jobs were fairly casual and didn't require a tie. I've entirely forgotten how to tie one. On the odd occasion I wore one I had to find out how to tie it on youtube.
DeleteIt’s funny that the picture you chose has a girl in a blazer and tie, which are ‘traditionally ’ menswear. I’m not a fan of uniforms in general. Arguments for them were to make everyone equal, but kids will always find a way to stand out, whether it be their cell phone or their expensive water bottles.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Very true that kids will always find a way of standing out, whatever the rules. Like hiking up their skirts as far as they can get away with.
DeleteThere are some Catholic schools here that require girls to wear skirts too. Some of the school's the require uniforms have both pants and squirts that girls can wear now.
ReplyDeleteMary: Squirts? What are they? Not a familiar term in the UK.
DeleteBack in the mid 1960s, when I was in high school, girls could wear slacks under their skirts only if it was a friday on which a football game would be played right after school so we could be warmer while sitting in the bleachers. Otherwise we had to wear skirts long enough they would touch the floor when kneeling. Five years later girls were wearing blue jeans to the same school. That was a shock to me.
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Linda: Skirts long enough to touch the floor when kneeling? That's a new one on me! Jeans are obviously more sensible.
DeleteNo real uniform adherence at my British school in the 70s. We could wear what we liked so long as it was blue, black, white, or grey. In the third year we were allowed to wear jeans.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand - Mr Blue had to wear shorts to school until he reached a certain height - even in winter! How mad is that?!
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Ms Scarlet: Requiring shorts in winter is absurd. Of course the same applies to skirts, they're also freezing cold in winter.
DeleteI had to wear skirts all through elementary school. They had to touch the ground when you kneeled. The rule got changed by the time I was in middle school.
ReplyDeleteSandra: Ah, the same rule that Linda mentioned. So were you able to wear trousers later on?
DeleteAt this day and age it does seem strange girls are supposed to wear skirts. I think it should be a choice and both pants and skirts could be an option.
ReplyDeleteNicole: It should be a choice, as you say. You can still learn if you're wearing pants!
DeleteAs my education was parochial school from grade through high school, I know about girl students wearing skirts as part of the scholarship uniform which also included a white shirt and blazer. Senior year of high school, the skirt changed from solid navy to plaid. I would have welcomed the freedom to wear pants.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: As I said, even the schools near us require girls to wear skirts. It all seems rather antiquated.
DeleteTrousers weren't even thought about when I was at school. Girls didn't tend to wear trousers much at all then. But I think girls should be able to wear them at school nowadays.
ReplyDeleteTrousers for girls? My headmistress of the 1960s would have had a fit! Once in the second year you had to abandon socks for stocking and suspenders, would you believe, summer and winter, winter uniform included a felt hat that assumed a strange shape once wet, raincoat, blouse, tie and serge skirt that was so stiff we swore it kept the Glasgow shipyards in business. No need to kneel to check the length, the blasted thing had a life of its own. Summer uniform straw hat with ribbons, cotton dress and, of course, the blazer. Shoes sensible, with a change of shoes kept in the cloakroom for use on the premises. Oh, and gloves.
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