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It's so hot in England, schoolboys are wearing skirts

Amid an intense heat wave, dozens of British schoolboys went to class wearing girls' uniform skirts when the head teacher would not relax a dress code banning the more suitable option: shorts.

The teenage boys at Isca Academy in Exeter argued it was too hot for pants as temperatures approached 90 degrees Wednesday. Dozens of boys, who borrowed uniform skirts from female friends and sisters, planned to go to class Thursday sporting a new look in protest of the school's 'no shorts' policy, according to the English news site, Devonlive-DOT-com, though, the temperatures Thursday had dropped into the upper 60s, according to the Associated Press.

It does not appear that the boys were punished for donning skirts, but one mother said her son was warned against it.

"My son wanted to wear shorts but was told he would be put in the isolation room for the rest of the week, [...] The head teacher told them 'Well you can wear a skirt if you like' but I think she was being sarcastic. However, children tend to take you literally, and so five boys turned up in skirts today — and because she told them it was okay there was nothing she could do as long as they are school skirts.

"One of the five boys did get in trouble — because it was too short."

Boys will keep wearing skirts 'forever' - or until Exeter school changes its uniform policy

Boys have pledged to carry on wearing skirts every day until their Exeter school changes its 'no shorts in hot weather' uniform policy.

The boys expect about 100 more to join them on Friday and say they will not go back to wearing trousers until the policy changes.

Parents, thousands of members of the public and even Channel 4 television's Dr Christian Jessen, of Embarrassing Bodies, is backing them - agreeing that it is too hot for long trousers.

Ban my shorts if old.

 

[anonymous_abc]

I wish I could wear skirts without funny looks. It sounds great.
To bad I don't have Scottish ancestry or I would sport a kilt.

 

[MIMIC]

School: skirts banned.

Girls: Thanks, guys!

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Good.

Next step: abolish school dress codes completely

 

[The Boat]

That's a really dumb dress code, shorts are comfy and easy to wear.

 

[StayDead]

Good.

Next step: abolish school dress codes completely

Uniforms are a good idea, purely because it means poorer children don't get bullied as much because their parents can't afford brand named clothes/picked on for their choice in clothes.

The issue is uniforms are too expensive and not leniant enough for both sides. Girls cannot wear trousers (well in some schools, they could in mine) and boys can't wear shorts if it's hot/or skirts I guess.

 

[Arc]

Good.

Next step: abolish school dress codes completely

Dress codes are not the problem. Its the double standard between boys and girls clothing. In fact, dress codes are good in most cases.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Uniforms are a good idea, purely because it means poorer children don't get bullied as much because their parents can't afford brand named clothes/picked on for their choice in clothes.

The issue is uniforms are too expensive and not leniant enough for both sides. Girls cannot wear trousers (well in some schools, they could in mine) and boys can't wear shorts if it's hot/or skirts I guess.

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

 

[blame space]

i think maybe in the future everyone will wear skirts.

 

[Calderc]

I wish I could wear skirts without funny looks. It sounds great.
To bad I don't have Scottish ancestry or I would sport a kilt.

Kilts are actually warm as fuck. It's like wrapping a blanket round your waist 3 times.

 

[Akuun]

The head teacher told them 'Well you can wear a skirt if you like'

A sure sign that the teacher is an asshole.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

i think maybe in the future everyone will wear skirts.

I think you're onto something

Sounds really comfy

 

[Anteo]

“One of the five boys did get in trouble — because it was too short."

Lmao

 

[Arc]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

Caring about brands and styles will never not be the case for children. Brands and styles are everything to kids. I felt like shit in middle school when everyone was rocking their American Eagle polos and I had cheap ones from Target.

 

[Volotaire]

Uniforms are a good idea, purely because it means poorer children don't get bullied as much because their parents can't afford brand named clothes/picked on for their choice in clothes.

The issue is uniforms are too expensive and not leniant enough for both sides. Girls cannot wear trousers (well in some schools, they could in mine) and boys can't wear shorts if it's hot/or skirts I guess.

Another problem with school uniforms and poorer families are when the school policy is insistent on wearing a particular school emblem on their uniform (frequently with a policy of no stitching of the emblem on plain blazers allowed). This can get especially expensive when some schools have the same emblem policy for PE dress code, a separate Games dress code (PE like session) and the fact that students are likely to misplace their PE kits. It can get very expensive when you factor in that students are still growing and siblings in the same or different schools.

 

[Lagamorph]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

It's definitely still a problem in the UK.
I've nothing against school uniforms really, and generally they can be picked up pretty cheap from places like Aldi and Asda, so not sure why there's a suggestion they're too expensive. There shouldn't be any requirement for any kind of school logo/emblem on them though, or it should at least be optional.

Schools should just have a dress code along the lines of "Black/Grey Trousers/Skirts, white polo shirt, smart black shoes" etc, but with no mention of any article being restricted to a particular sex.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

From what I seen working in public schools 1-3 years ago the kids with the best fitting clothes were treated better than those in baggy hand-me-downs. And in the case of shoes brands definitely continue to matter.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Good for them! Hopefully the school realizes its policy is dumb...

 

[jfkgoblue]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

 

[Camper Van Beethoven]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

Children are idiots. Stuff like that still matters to kids.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

No the UK doesn't often have much AC in their homes. It only gets hot enough 1-2 weeks there for them to make the investment. But yeah, here in Michigan 90 is expected for about a month every year. And often times at least one week will hit 100.

 

[disco]

Children are idiots. Stuff like that still matters to kids.

Exactly. Fanboyism is most fervent with the under 14s.

 

[Billy_Pilgrim]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

 

[Volotaire]

.

 

[Earthbound64]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

You're wrong.

And what are you even basing that on?

 

[Chococat]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

From Wiki

The English school year generally runs from early September to mid July of the following year. Most schools operate a three-term school year, each term divided in half.

90 is normal in Michigan- it simple not in the UK and most of Europe. They are neither acclimated to those temps nor have the infrastructure to deal with unusual highs.

 

[disco]

You're wrong.

And what are you even basing that on?

Post-material consumption, perhaps spectacle existence?

 

[NandyRewman]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

Schools break up for the summer in July. This year the last day for state schools is 17th July.

It is hot for the UK. The country doesn't have the infrastructure to cope with extreme heat or cold.

Most homes don't have AC - I can't think of any that I've been to. And none of schools I went to did either.

 

[Vilix]

They're not skirts. They're kilts, you whiney school boys!

 

[Eila]

• 90 degrees is barely hot.
• Where the heck did they get all those skirts from?

 

[CygnusXS]

The heck is an "isolation room"?

 

[Jonnax]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

UK School term usually ends around mid July. Starts again in September after the summer holiday.

30+C is unbearable because it's unusual for the country.
Buildings are designed to keep heat in because most of the year it's cooler.
In fact this kind of temperature is unusual for the UK.

'Hottest June day since 1976'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40353118

People don't generally have A.C. because heat like this usually only lasts a week or two at most per year.

My school didn't have AC and I think most don't. because of that.

I think the teacher expected the kids to "put up and shut up" essentially.

 

[Octavianus]

I wish I could wear skirts without funny looks. It sounds great.
To bad I don't have Scottish ancestry or I would sport a kilt.

You should wear one anyway.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

When I was a kid this was a problem. But I don't think it would be much of a problem these days. Caring about brands is really out of style these days ime

No offense, unless you're 14 I don't think your opinion is really all that relevant to what teenagers are going through day to day.

 

[jfkgoblue]

Thanks everyone for the answers, I guess I just assumed it was similar weather to the Northern US states, but I guess it isn't.

 

[off duty ninja]

Uniforms are a good idea, purely because it means poorer children don't get bullied as much because their parents can't afford brand named clothes/picked on for their choice in clothes.

The issue is uniforms are too expensive and not leniant enough for both sides. Girls cannot wear trousers (well in some schools, they could in mine) and boys can't wear shorts if it's hot/or skirts I guess.

Not trying to be a dick but:

"Uniforms are a good idea, purely because it means poorer children don't get bullied as much because their parents can't afford brand named clothes/picked on for their choice in clothes."

Seems to directly contradict:

"The issue is uniforms are too expensive"

I am just an american serf with a public school education and have never had to wear a uniform for school so maybe I am missing how the expensive uniforms make it better for poor students.

EDIT: Also, I just think I realized where the term "skirting the rules" must have come from.

 

[farisr]

Wow, this was the exact plot in an episode of some show I saw as a kid.

 

[Sephzilla]

Honestly this issue also exists in some business casual workplace environments as well. Women can wear skirts, capris (which are glorified shorts), and even dress sandals, and men can only wear long pants and normal shoes.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Eh, there are enough kids with hipster parents these days that I don't really think kids would care about brands. Most parts of the decelopef World have moved past that

Rural England contains some of the most stupid people on Earth though (as evidenced by Brexit, votes for Tories) so maybe YMMV

 

[Iva Demilcol]

I have so many questions...

Why are the kids still in school? Shouldn't they be done for the year?

Since when is "nearing 90" unbearable weather? Even here in Michigan that's not a very unusual day.

Does the U.K. not have AC or something? Won't you be inside anyway?

What the fuck did the teacher expect to happen?

Come on, guys, didn't you read/watched the Harry Potter series?

I lol'd at this:

“One of the five boys did get in trouble — because it was too short.”

Try to explain this to your friends: "Why did they put you on detention?"
"My skirt was too short."

 

[RocknRola]

• 90 degrees is barely hot.
• Where the heck did they get all those skirts from?

90ºF ~ 32.2ºC.

That's hot. It's not "OMG I'M MELTING!" hot sure, but it's hot. Especially in a country/island that is not particularly known for those sort of temps.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

90ºF ~ 32.2ºC.

That's hot. It's not "OMG I'M MELTING!" hot sure, but it's hot. Especially in a country/island that is not particularly known for those sort of temps.

Over 25°C is already hot to me. I lived in a place where humidity made things worse too, like you were 29 but with the humidity would feel like 39.

Keep up the good fight, kids.

 

[RocknRola]

Over 25°C is already hot to me. I lived in a place where humidity made things worse too, like you were 29 but with the humidity would feel like 39.

Keep up the good fight, kids.

Being in Portugal I'm used to deal with Summers of mid 30's to mid 40's. However also being in the North of Portugal (where it's more humid) makes things a whole lot worse. Thankfully we have beaches for days, otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be a puddle before July even gets here.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

My lily-white body wasn't built for temperatures above 30 °C

 

[Earthbound64]

Eh, there are enough kids with hipster parents these days that I don't really think kids would care about brands. Most parts of the decelopef World have moved past that

Rural England contains some of the most stupid people on Earth though (as evidenced by Brexit, votes for Tories) so maybe YMMV

1) You're still wrong
2) All it takes is 1 person
3) This is from experience in New England

 

[Qasiel]

That's a really dumb dress code, shorts are comfy and easy to wear.

This post needs more love.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Having worked a Walmart for a few years I know that struggle.
Million degrees in the back but no shorts allowed, however women were allowed to wear skirts...

 

[The Hamburglar]

i've noticed the skirts have been getting longer as well. just over 10 years ago when I was in high school, skirts used to be the size of 4 tea bags. these days they are quite long.

 

[Earthbound64]

just over 10 years ago when I was in high school, skirts used to be the size of 4 tea bags.

"tea bags" is an... interesting... measuring unit for skirts.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

i've noticed the skirts have been getting longer as well. just over 10 years ago when I was in high school, skirts used to be the size of 4 tea bags. these days they are quite long.

how much time do you spend studying the length of kids' skirts