Protest about School Uniform Rules
Schoolboy in a skirt: Pupil protests at rule forcing boys to wear trousers during hot weather
It's not necessarily a photo Chris Whitehead’s parents will be framing and keeping on the mantelpiece.
But they are certainly proud of him. The 12-year-old wore a skirt to school yesterday to protest against ‘discriminatory’ rules which ban boys from wearing shorts.
He says it is unfair that girls can change into skirts during the hot weather, while boys have to swelter in long trousers.
This, he says, affects their concentration and ability to learn.
The schoolboy is taking advantage of a ‘silly loophole’ in the uniform policy at Impington Village College, near Cambridge, that means boys can wear skirts as the school would be guilty of discrimination if it tried to stop them.
‘In the summer months, girl students are allowed to wear skirts but boys are not allowed to wear shorts,’ Chris explained yesterday before his protest.
‘It discriminates against boys. I will march in a skirt with other boys waving banners and making a lot of noise.
‘*I will be wearing the skirt at school all day in protest at the uniform policy and addressing the assembly with the school council.’
The year 8 pupil, who lives in nearby Histon, added: ‘Wearing a skirt is just like wearing shorts with a gap in the middle. I don’t feel silly at all. I don’t embarrass easily.’
The 1,368-pupil school, which was classed as good in its last Ofsted inspection in 2006, imposed the ban two years ago after a consultation with parents and teachers. Its ‘Look Smart’ dress code states students must wear ‘plain black tailored trousers or knee-length skirts without slits’ – but does not specify gender.
This means that while shorts are prohibited because they are not mentioned, girls – and boys – are free to wear skirts as long as they are ‘free moving, not tight against the legs’.
Chris borrowed a skirt from his sister Joanna, 11, and was accompanied by 30 supporters waving placards saying, ‘Cool shorts, not hot pants’, ‘Shorts for the long-term’ and ‘What’s wrong with my legs?’
And he said he intends to continue wearing the outfit.
His mother, Liz, 50, a maths teacher, said: ‘I’m delighted that Chris is taking action on what he believes in – which the school actually encourages, so he is only doing what he is taught.’
And his father, Brian, 48, who owns a publishing company, added: ‘It’s a creative and imaginative idea. I was worried about him getting picked on but he just shrugged his shoulders.’ Headmaster Robert Campbell said: ‘Our uniform policy does not state girls’ and boys’ uniforms because we can’t be discriminatory, so Chris is perfectly within his rights to wear a skirt.
‘What he has done is raise the issue in an entirely legitimate way. I think it will be right to start thinking about uniform again in September.’
An Equality and Human Rights Commission spokesman said: ‘It’s not possible to say if different uniform policies for boys and girls is or is not lawful, as it’s not been tested in the courts.’ But schools ‘should be flexible when considering students’ needs’, he added.
Did you have to wear a school uniform?
Could boys wear shorts in the summer? And girls wear trousers?
Do you think school uniform is a good idea?
*Grammar point:
''I will be wearing the skirt at school all day in protest at the uniform policy."
The above is an example of the Future Continuous form.
Structure:
will + be + verb-ing
Other examples:
She'll be working late all this week.
Don't worry. I'll be coming home next Friday.
I'll be thinking of you all the time I am not here.
The future continuous tense expresses an action in progress at a particular moment in the future:
This time next week I will be lying on a beach.
Hopefully, I will be celebrating when I get my results next month.
Will it not too late to ring? Won't everybody be sleeping at midnight?
Who will you be supporting in the football match tomorrow?
Comments
The boy has the makings of politician, of course. I like persons who fight for your ideals.
Certainly there are many problems to solve much more important that these stupidities, but as the basis of the discussion was the possibility of breaking the absurd rules...why boys can't wear short trousers if is it very hot? being these the same color as the uniform)
You will be outraged to know that the hospital in question, is just going to ignore the court ruling. I'll add the link to this post.
The boy has the makings of A POLITICIAN, of course. I like PEOPLE who fight for THEIR ideals.
Certainly there are many problems to solve WHICH ARE much more important THAN these stupidities, but as the basis of the discussion was the possibility of breaking the absurd rules...why CAN'T boys wear SHORTS if IT IS very hot? (AS LONG AS THEY ARE the same color as the uniform)