LONDON // Increasing numbers of British schools are banning teenage girls from wearing skirts as part of the school uniform - because the hemlines are rising too high.
More than a dozen schools across the country will have a "trousers only" rule when the new term starts in September.
Dozens of other head teachers are now contemplating similar moves.
The problem is that hemlines of girls' skirts have risen to such a level that they are proving a distraction to many of the boys and, quite possibly, to some male teachers.
Robert Kelly, the rector of Berwickshire High School in Scotland, described short skirts as capable of causing "inappropriate thoughts" among boys.
Hilary Winter, headmaster of Piggott School in Wargrave, Surrey, described the short skirts as a "difficult distraction for members of staff".
It is not only a problem in Britain. Many US schools have had to introduce rules governing the maximum distance between the knee and hemline - though exceptions are made for cheerleaders.
In South Korea, schools have now introduced "modesty boards" placed in front of girls' desks.
The head teacher of a school in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has proposed a ban on skirts because he found some girls were wearing short garments that were "almost like belts".
This week, Northgate High in Ipswich announced that it would become the third school in the English town to remove skirts from its approved uniform list.
It said the move is to prevent students coming to lessons in "inappropriate attire".
David Hutton, the headmaster, said the ban had been welcomed by most parents, with only two objecting.
"Unfortunately, despite contacting specific parents, sending some girls home to change, requiring others to wear a school-owned skirt for the day and repeatedly asking others to unroll their skirts at the waist, we still had some girls coming to school in inappropriate skirts," he said.
"I have therefore introduced a trousers-only policy, which will enable my staff to focus their time and effort on providing pupils with the best education possible."
Don Smith, headmaster at Paget High in Burton-upon-Trent in central England, has gone a step further.
He has not only banned skirts but also refused to allow girls to wear trousers that are too tight and revealing.
"We do not want to arrive at a situation where we are telling girls their skirts can only be a certain number of centimetres above or below the knee," Mr Smith said.
But while most parents do not object to the skirt ban, it has not gone down well with some of their daughters.
Megan Throp, a 15-year-old pupil at Guiseley School in Leeds, where trousers will be compulsory from next month, told the Yorkshire Evening Post newspaper that she and most of her classmates were furious about the skirt ban.
"Our rights and freedom of being young women have been snatched away because we have been forced into wearing school trousers," she said.
"As students who are going into Year 11 and currently sitting GCSE exams, we feel there is more concern for our uniform than our education."
dsapstead@thenational.ae
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info:
Leicester City 1
Ghezzal (63')
Liverpool 2
Mane (10'), Firmino (45')
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Company%20Profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Zodi%20%26%20Tehu%3A%20Princes%20Of%20The%20Desert
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
SPECS
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dunki
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57%20Seconds
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km