Picture the scene; school is letting out. It's a hot, barmy, unexpected and therefore much talked about random summer's day in England. The children are all without coats, but clad in the usual black skirts or trousers and white school shirts. It's a secondary school and a uniform is compulsory for those in Year 7 through to 11. (That's ages 11 to 16)
I pull up in my car at the pelican crossing outside this particular school as they are milling about. Some cross the road in front of me, but my eyes are drawn to a group of girls on the pavement to my right. They are all wearing the required black skirts, obviously with bare legs (did I mention the weather?) and I am struck by the shortness of the skirts.
Don't be daft I tell myself, thinking they probably just 'look' short because I'm all old and unfashionable and couldn't get away with that length anymore. But then I notice that I can see one of the girl's bum cheek peeking out from underneath her skirt.
Yes. You read that correctly. Bum cheek.
Go on. Now tell me I'm a prude. It's not just that I could see this that bothered me. It's that every person passing, whether walking or driving, could see this; and not everyone out there is 'safe'. What do I mean? You know exactly what I mean. Let's not be naive. You can argue all you like that it shouldn't matter what you dress your children in. Yes, since they are under 16 these are still children we are talking about. But it does matter. It really does.
In the 80s the rule was knee-length. If you could see all your knees the skirt was too short and you got a letter to send home. I wonder what, if anything, this school did about this particular skirt. On the evidence of the skirts surrounding her, not one more than about an inch lower in length, probably not a lot.
If there are any teachers out there reading this; I'd be interested to know your thoughts. What are the rules these days? If any? Do you agree with them? Or not? Why?
It seems that everyone wants me to know what, if any underwear they are wearing this summer, doesn't it. Can you avoid VPL this summer?
I was a teacher before babies and believe me you wouldn't believe the amount of time taken up talking and sorting out uniform issues! Skirts are meant to be knee length and as a tutor I would regularly be getting the girls to pull down their skirts - ie they roll them up so they are shorter. When we were at school it was ties - you used to have a skinny tie - so I suppose it is just another way of rebelling. I like to think a skinny tie was less slutty tho.
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