In a triggering incident, female students at a Grammar School were banned from wearing strappy or sleeveless tops. As pupils at the secondary at the Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School in Canterbury chose to beat the week's mini heatwave with strappy or sleeveless tops, the school fought back with a ban, finding their outfits inappropriate.
The move triggered a local outrage with parents unhappy from the “obvious sexualising” of their daughters. Sixth-formers who are allowed to wear their own clothes had to cover up on the headteacher's instructions. “What century are we in?” a mum asked. “It is silly rules like this that distract students from their studies. I'm not interested in what they look like, as long as they're not offending anyone, it's the work that's important.”
Meanwhile, angry students have now begun a petition, asking for the school, founded in 1881, to drop the rule that states that students in the sixth form should not wear “strappy” or “sleeveless” tops that reveal their bare shoulders. The petition, which has already received 130 signatures, states, “This rule encourages the disturbing sexualisation of young girls' bodies, most of which are underage.”
Launched by one of the students, Maddi Lane, it further adds, “The argument that shoulders shouldn't be seen in a workplace is irrelevant, as our generation is the future workforce. It is our job to change the oppressive and demeaning standards that women are forced to abide by, or nothing will change in the future.” Headmaster Dr Matthew Baxter defended the decision saying, “The subject was discussed with the deputy heads. It has been decided that both Langton schools will ensure that the same dress code applies to all students within their sixth form.”
