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Schoolgirls hit with skirt ban
A school has become the first in Sunderland to ban all girls from wearing skirts amid concerns over rising hemlines.
The fashion for miniskirts has prompted Sandhill View School, in Grindon Lane, to change its uniform policy.
Headteacher Richard Bain said the governing body took the decision after consultation with staff, pupils and parents.
Mr Bain said: "At the end of last year we decided from the start of this term to make the switch from skirts to trousers for girls."
Mr Bain believes the fashion for short skirts was leading many of the girls to feel compelled to follow the trend.
He said: "The skirts were getting shorter and shorter. We kept asking people to make sure they kept the skirts a bit longer, but the girls wanted to follow the fashion.
"I think a lot of them felt under pressure to be in fashion."
The problem got to the point where Mr Bain felt some of the skirts pupils would arrive in were not acceptable for school.
He added: "You can imagine with some lessons, such as drama for example, the skirts so short they were not appropriate.
"We decided for the safety and protection of all those concerned it would be better to change the uniform.
"At the start of term all the girls came to school very smart in their black trousers and it is a great improvement. They seem very happy with it, there have been no complaints."
Mr Bain said he doesn't know of any other schools in Sunderland which has taken the decision to ban skirts, but he has heard about a couple of schools elsewhere in the country which have taken this step.
Howard Brown, the National Union of Teachers' Wearside Divisional Officer, said: "The dress code for staff and pupils in school is always an issue. I always take the stand that if a school makes a decision on dress code then everyone should abide by that.
"If parents don't like a uniform policy they are always free to move their child to a school where they can wear what they like.
"I would support Sandhill View school on this and to be honest they are right, the skirts are getting too short."
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Weather for Sunderland
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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