Schoolgirls were left in tears after male teachers were claimed to have inspected the length of their skirts amid an explosive uniform row.
Rainford High School, in St Helens, Merseyside, has found itself at the centre of a fierce dispute over its uniform policy, which requires students wear knee-length skirts.
A number of pupils and parents have claimed that male teachers were involved in inspecting the lengths of their skirts, as some students were left in tears.
There have been reports of protests in the school as over a thousand people signed an online petition against the policy, slamming it as “outdated” and “ridiculous”.
Things have gotten so bad, some of the young girls have been going home in tears.
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Rainford High School, in St Helens, Merseyside (google)One parent told The Liverpool Echo: "My daughter came home in tears after this debacle. One of the highest achievers in her year, never been in trouble in her life and is subject to this.
"Skirt at the knee and wearing tights too. Young girls lined up at the door and separated by male staff! 2023 not 1823."
But the school’s headteacher pushed back against the criticism and said they have received “no evidence” that any members of staff did "anything other than behave in a professional manner".
They added that concerns over how the school has dealt with "challenging students" over this issue will be "investigated fully".
One video shared on social media showed what was described as a “protest” at the school, with male pupils wearing skirts over their uniforms and a large group of pupils gathered in corridors.
Parents have claimed that whilst some pupils are taking advantage of school rules, others are being punished despite not deliberately rolling up their skirts.
But most are taking issue with the enforcement of the policy that has allegedly seen pupils lined up in the school auditorium as the length of their skirts is inspected, sometimes by male teachers.
One woman signed the online petition after her “granddaughter came home mortified that her skirt height was inspected by a male teacher in front of male pupils”.
One mum said: "My daughter is being threatened with suspension when she wears the longest skirt I can get which will still fit her waist as she is slim! There is absolutely no reason that this should be an issue for a girl whose skirt is barely above the knee!
"This attitude that girls are responsible for boys/men's behaviour because of their clothes needs to stop! It is outdated and sexist! I would have expected better from this school!"
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Another said: "I am fed up if the school humiliating girls about the skirts. Only a few take advantage of the rules. Don’t have a go at the ones that aren’t as bad."
In a statement, headteacher Ian Young told The Mirror: "Like many schools, we have a clear uniform policy in place and understand there are often sensitivities around this matter.
"Student voice is important in all aspects of school life, and we have been keen to find an acceptable viewpoint on uniform from all members of our school community. Work has been, and is continuing to be, undertaken with our young people by consulting student leadership teams to find an agreeable solution for both staff and students.
"Our focus is for all our young people to exemplify and learn the importance of high standards and expectations, so they are ready to contribute to the wider community as successfully as possible. "
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