UK schoolboys wear skirts to protest against ban on shorts
Teenage boys at a school in Exeter, United Kingdom, went to school Friday wearing skirts in protest at a ban on wearing shorts.
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Around 50 pupils at ISCA Academy are understood to be taking part in the protest after a small group of boys came to school in girls' uniform Thursday.
"My son wanted to wear shorts but was told he would be put in the isolation room for the rest of the week," the mother of one 14-year-old told Devon Live yesterday.
"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 ok there was nothing she could do as long as they are school skirts."
One of the five boys is believed to have got in trouble because his dress was too short - and another boy, Josh Baxter, told reporters he'd been told to change back to trousers as he "had hairy legs."
Mother Claire Reeves told Devon Live: "[The school] have told me that if I send my son to school in shorts then he will be sent to the isolation room all day and if I keep him off school then it'll be an unauthorised absence.
"The girls are allowed to wear skirts all year round so I think it's completely unfair that the boys can't wear shorts.
"Boys just don't have the option and I am just really concerned about how the heat is going to affect him."
Following the pupils' protest the school has said it would considering changing its uniform policy in future.
"We recognise that the last few days have been exceptionally hot and we are doing our utmost to enable both students and staff to remain as comfortable as possible," said headteacher Aimee Mitchell.
"Shorts are not currently part of our uniform for boys and I would not want to make any changes without consulting both students and their families.
"However, with hotter weather becoming more normal, I would be happy to consider a change for the future."