Thomas Tallis School
  • Home
  • About
    • An Overview >
      • The Leadership Team
      • Who was Thomas Tallis?
      • Ethos and Values
      • School Vision
      • Artsmark
      • International School
      • Ofsted
    • School Prospectus
    • Mrs Roberts Writes
    • Tallis Habits >
      • Tallis Pedagogy Wheel Guide
    • Tallis Character
    • Tate Exchange
    • Secondary School Direct Hub
    • The Pupil Premium 2017-18 >
      • The Pupil Premium 2016-17
      • The Pupil Premium 2015-16
      • The Pupil Premium 2014-15
      • The Pupil Premium 2013-14
      • The Pupil Premium 2012-13
      • The Pupil Premium 2011-12
    • Exam Results 2017 >
      • Exam Results 2016
      • Exam Results 2015
      • Exam Results 2014
      • Exam Results 2013
      • Exam Results 2012
      • Exam Results 2011
    • Early catch-up review and action plan 2017-18
    • Job Vacancies
    • School Map
    • How to find us
  • News
    • Tallis Newsletters
    • BBC School Report 2018
    • Tallis Photography
    • Tallis Video
    • Tallis Sounds
  • Calendar
    • The School Day
    • Term Dates 2016-17
    • Term Dates 2017-18
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Areas >
      • Business & ICT
      • English & Philosophy
      • Design & Technology
      • Humanities & Social Sciences
      • Mathematics & Computer Science
      • Modern Foreign Languages
      • Performing Arts
      • Physical Education
      • Science
      • Visual & Media Arts
    • Pastoral Care
    • Key Stage 3
    • KS3 Assessment guidance
    • Tallis Choices
    • Key Stage 4
    • Tallis Post 16
    • Guidance
    • More Able Learners
    • Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
    • Learning Support Unit
    • Support Centre for Autism and Language Impairment
    • English as an Additional Language
    • Deaf Support Centre
    • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Community
    • Letters Home
    • Supporting Thomas Tallis School
    • PTFA
    • Admissions
    • Transition
    • Support Your Teen
    • eSafety
    • Attendance & Punctuality
    • School Uniform
    • WisePay Payment Portal
    • The Tallis Agreement
    • Governing Board
    • Policies & Guidelines
    • Tallis Post 16
    • Making Complaints
  • Students
    • Year 11 Support & Guidance
    • Home Learning
    • Exam Revision
    • Stay Safe
    • Rewards
    • Reading
    • The Library
    • School Council
    • Creative Manifesto
    • Cycling at Tallis
    • Alumni
  • Staff
  • Links
  • Contact
  • Search
T: +44 (0)208 856 0115

EDUCATION TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD & CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER

Rational Dress

19/6/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
I check the education websites most mornings over breakfast (yogurt and an egg at the moment, but it’s just a phase). Most of the stuff is irritating but there was a much-read story for a week which made me want to chew the carpet. ‘Girls wear shorts under skirts’. Who knew? Of course they do.

I’ve long been of the view that if skirts were sensible and practical attire, men would wear them. I have a couple myself for state occasions. They’re all very well, but the ones that don’t flap about in the wind restrict the movement of your legs. Then there’s the shoes issue, and tights, and before you know it you’ve spent a fortune and need to get up half an hour before a man just to get dressed in time. However, consenting adults must do as they wish and many a fabulous teacher totters about in heels and a pencil skirt (though not at Tallis where the bridge is a heel-trap).

School uniform lists and dress codes torture themselves over skirts because they present huge issues that can only be solved in ways unacceptable to a thinking person. We say ‘skirts must be of a reasonable length’ – but what’s a reasonable length? A shorter girl can get away with a skimpier skirt than a taller girl simply because the amount of leg on show isn’t as noticeable. And then there’s the leg itself. If you conform to skeletal media expectations is the leg acceptable, but if you’re a bit fatter should it be hidden? And why must it be of a reasonable length? Obviously, one that drags around the floor may constitute a trip hazard, but that’s not the issue, is it? 

​The reasonable length is to do with what’s underneath the skirt, and not wanting to see it in school. What’s wrong with bare legs and shorts to cover up your pants, if you’re not allowed to wear shorts as uniform? And why can’t we wear shorts, ask the boys? Girls can wear skirts. ​

​
It is a serious issue. The article that attracted attention said that due to oppressive behaviour in schools, girls have to wear shorts under skirts to protect their dignity, because boys assault or abuse them. We’ve got pretty good in schools at stamping out overtly racist or homophobic attitudes and language, but are less good at old-fashioned sexism. Girls in many schools think they have to get used to being groped or having their skirts lifted so it’s no wonder they wear shorts. But the skirt is just the presenting issue on the front of oppressive attitudes in society.  As long as we collude in the policing of women’s bodies then boys will think it’s OK to make girls’ lives miserable with their looks, words and hands. Girls ought to be able to wear short skirts in school without fear of molestation, as their mothers and sisters should be able to walk down the street without fear. Human beings should be able to go about their business without intimidation, no matter what they look like. 

Don’t misunderstand me, it’s not quite a free-for-all.  We wouldn’t like bikinis or swastikas or balaclavas. But we should make sure our dress codes don’t perpetuate the idea that women’s bodies need closer attention than men’s. Boys’ uniform is easier to set and enforce than girls’ because the basics, the clerk-class jacket and tie, is menswear. Skirts are not designed to be practical work attire so once we start policing them, that can of worms is all over our laps. Once we start specifying acceptable coverage for girls – like some of the fancier academies with their tartan regalia - we add a second inequality. At £45 for a skirt while boys’ trousers are two pairs a tenner from the supermarket all of a sudden girls’ education is more expensive than boys’. How is this legal?   
     
You know that I think that school uniform’s prime function is as a community builder, with a secondary aim of relieving parents and children from unaffordable consumerist fashion demands. Uniforms should be simple, cheap and practical. They should be the same for girls and boys and we should think very hard about how we describe our standards.  And we should put some serious time into working towards a world where girls and women are safer than they are now. It’s not the shorts, it’s the sexism we should worry about. Perhaps our new HMCI can turn her mind to that: understanding equalities doesn’t require school experience.  

In other news Tallis are at the opening of the Switch House at Tate Modern as I write so more on that next time.  And the exams are drawing to a merciful close.  Shouldn’t we reconsider GCSE?
 
CR
16.6.16
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    MRS ROBERTS WRITES...

    A regular column about school life.

    Archive

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    11+
    1970s
    Academies
    Academisation
    Accountability
    Achievement
    Administrators
    Admissions
    Adolescence
    Adulthood
    Adventure
    Adverts
    Advice
    Aleppo
    Alevels
    Ambassador
    Annefrank
    Anthonyhorowitz
    Apologies
    Arabic
    Aristotle
    Art
    Arts
    Artsmark
    Ascl
    Askforangela
    Aspiration
    Assemblies
    Assembly
    Assessment
    Assessments
    Attendance
    Autonomy
    Banding
    Battle
    Battleaxes
    Bbc
    Beginnings
    Behaviour
    Belonging
    Beveridge
    Billlucas
    Blogosphere
    Boundaries
    Bowie
    Brexit
    Brext
    Briefing
    Bruisers
    Bsf
    Btec
    Budget
    Budgets
    Building
    Bureaucracy
    Cameron
    Campaign
    Capital
    Catalytic
    Celebration
    Ceremonies
    Ceremony
    Certificates
    Champions
    Change
    Changes
    Character
    Charity
    Charlescausley
    Childhood
    Children
    Choices
    Christmas
    Cicero
    Citizenship
    Civic
    Civility
    Classrooms
    Clothes
    Code
    Cohesion
    Colleagues
    Commission
    Community
    Compassion
    Compliance
    Comprehensive
    Compromise
    Conference
    Confucius
    Conservative
    Context
    Continuity
    Controversy
    Conversation
    Corridors
    Cover
    Craft
    Creativity
    Cressidadick
    Culture
    Curriculum
    Cuts
    Cyberspace
    Dance
    Darkness
    Data
    Davidharsent
    Decisions
    Deliverology
    Democracy
    Deregulation
    Design
    Detention
    Determination
    Dfe
    Diligence
    Disadvantage
    Discipline
    Discussion
    Drama
    Durham
    Easter
    Ebacc
    Eclipse
    Economy
    Edhirsch
    Education
    Eglantynejebb
    Election
    Elite
    Empathy
    Empowerment
    Engagement
    Entitlement
    Epiphany
    Equality
    Equipment
    Ethics
    Eton
    Events
    Everyday
    Exams
    Excellence
    Exchange
    Expectations
    Experience
    Explosions
    Extremism
    Facilities
    Fairness
    Faith
    Fame
    Family
    Fashion
    Festival
    Fidelity
    Finances
    Fitness
    Food
    Football
    Freedom
    Freeschool
    Friends
    Friendship
    Functionalism
    Funding
    Future
    Gcse
    Gcses
    Generosity
    Geography
    German
    Germans
    Gestures
    Girls
    Gove
    Government
    Governors
    Grammar
    Greenwich
    Grenfell
    Habits
    Happiness
    Hippocrates
    History
    Hmci
    Hmi
    Holidays
    Holocaust
    Homework
    Humanity
    Hunger
    Hymnsheets
    Illumination
    Imagination
    Immigrants
    Injustice
    Inspection
    Institution
    Integrity
    Interdependence
    International
    Interpretation
    Interviews
    Investment
    Invigilation
    IPad
    Islam
    Johnrawls
    Journeys
    Joy
    Judgement
    Justice
    Kaospilots
    Kidbrooke
    Kindness
    Knowledge
    Ks3
    Languages
    Laughter
    Leadership
    Learners
    Learning
    Leaving
    Lessons
    Levels
    List
    Literacy
    Literature
    London
    Londonchallenge
    Love
    Luck
    Lunchtime
    Management
    Mandarin
    Mandela
    Marland
    Mastery
    Maths
    Mats
    May
    Memories
    Menstruation
    Metrics
    Michaelyoung
    Misconduct
    Mistakes
    Mobility
    Mocks
    Money
    Mothers
    Motto
    Multiculturalism
    Music
    Myths
    Nationality
    Neo-trad
    News
    Newyear
    Nhs
    Nickymorgan
    Nihilism
    Nolan
    Nqt
    NSPCC
    Nuremburg
    Oaa
    Oath
    Obama
    Objectivity
    Oecd
    Offence
    Ofsted
    Openness
    Optimism
    Outcomes
    Oxbridge
    Parents
    Participation
    Partnership
    Pastoral
    Pay
    PE
    Pedagogy
    People
    Performance
    Persistent
    Pfi
    Philosophy
    Photography
    Pisa
    Planning
    Poetry
    Policy
    Politeness
    Politics
    Posh
    Post16
    Postmodernism
    Poverty
    Powerpoint
    Practice
    Praxis
    Predictions
    Preparations
    Pressures
    Prevent
    Principles
    Priorities
    Private
    Privilege
    Progress
    Progress8
    Proxy
    Pta
    Public
    Punctuality
    Punctuation
    Punishment
    Pupilpremium
    Qualifications
    Questioning
    Raf
    RE
    Reading
    Recruitment
    Refugees
    Relationships
    Religion
    Remembrance
    Reports
    Resilience
    Resolutions
    Resources
    Respect
    Responsibilities
    Restorativejustice
    Results
    Retention
    Rewards
    Rhetoric
    Rules
    Safeguarding
    Sarcasm
    Savethechildren
    Scandal
    Scholarship
    School
    Science
    Selection
    Selflessness
    September
    Service
    Sex
    Sexism
    Shakespeare
    Sixthform
    Socialmedia
    Society
    Speech
    Speeches
    Sports
    Staffing
    Staffroom
    Standardisation
    Standards
    State
    Study
    Suffering
    Summer
    Syria
    System
    Taiwan
    Talk
    Targets
    Tate
    Teachers
    Teachfirst
    Teaching
    Technology
    Teenagers
    Terrorism
    Tests
    Textbooks
    Thinking
    Thomastallis
    Time
    Timetable
    Toilets
    Traceyemin
    Tradition
    Transgender
    Transition
    Trump
    Truth
    Tutor
    Twitter
    Ucas
    Understanding
    Uniform
    Unitednations
    University
    Values
    Veilofignorance
    Victorian
    Violence
    Visitors
    Visits
    Walkabout
    War
    Warmth
    Weather
    Welcome
    Westminster
    Whatwouldyoucut
    Whistleblowing
    Whistles
    Whitepaper
    Wilshaw
    Winter
    Wisdom
    Women
    Workload
    Worth
    Writing
    Year
    Year13
    Year7
    Year9
    Youth
    Zeitgeist

    RSS Feed

Thomas Tallis School, Kidbrooke Park Road, London SE3 9PX
T: +44 (0)208 856 0115   F: +44 (0)208 331 3004   E: headteacher@thomastallis.org.uk
  • Home
  • About
    • An Overview >
      • The Leadership Team
      • Who was Thomas Tallis?
      • Ethos and Values
      • School Vision
      • Artsmark
      • International School
      • Ofsted
    • School Prospectus
    • Mrs Roberts Writes
    • Tallis Habits >
      • Tallis Pedagogy Wheel Guide
    • Tallis Character
    • Tate Exchange
    • Secondary School Direct Hub
    • The Pupil Premium 2017-18 >
      • The Pupil Premium 2016-17
      • The Pupil Premium 2015-16
      • The Pupil Premium 2014-15
      • The Pupil Premium 2013-14
      • The Pupil Premium 2012-13
      • The Pupil Premium 2011-12
    • Exam Results 2017 >
      • Exam Results 2016
      • Exam Results 2015
      • Exam Results 2014
      • Exam Results 2013
      • Exam Results 2012
      • Exam Results 2011
    • Early catch-up review and action plan 2017-18
    • Job Vacancies
    • School Map
    • How to find us
  • News
    • Tallis Newsletters
    • BBC School Report 2018
    • Tallis Photography
    • Tallis Video
    • Tallis Sounds
  • Calendar
    • The School Day
    • Term Dates 2016-17
    • Term Dates 2017-18
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Areas >
      • Business & ICT
      • English & Philosophy
      • Design & Technology
      • Humanities & Social Sciences
      • Mathematics & Computer Science
      • Modern Foreign Languages
      • Performing Arts
      • Physical Education
      • Science
      • Visual & Media Arts
    • Pastoral Care
    • Key Stage 3
    • KS3 Assessment guidance
    • Tallis Choices
    • Key Stage 4
    • Tallis Post 16
    • Guidance
    • More Able Learners
    • Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
    • Learning Support Unit
    • Support Centre for Autism and Language Impairment
    • English as an Additional Language
    • Deaf Support Centre
    • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Community
    • Letters Home
    • Supporting Thomas Tallis School
    • PTFA
    • Admissions
    • Transition
    • Support Your Teen
    • eSafety
    • Attendance & Punctuality
    • School Uniform
    • WisePay Payment Portal
    • The Tallis Agreement
    • Governing Board
    • Policies & Guidelines
    • Tallis Post 16
    • Making Complaints
  • Students
    • Year 11 Support & Guidance
    • Home Learning
    • Exam Revision
    • Stay Safe
    • Rewards
    • Reading
    • The Library
    • School Council
    • Creative Manifesto
    • Cycling at Tallis
    • Alumni
  • Staff
  • Links
  • Contact
  • Search
✕