Teenage boys turn up to school dressed in skirts to protest shorts ban

Dozens of boys turned up to school wearing skirts this morning in Exeter to protest over a school uniform ban.

According to Devon Live, around 50 boys turned up to ISCA Academy in Exeter in skirts.

It seems that, despite the heatwave that’s rocking the UK, ISCA’s headteacher refused to let boys turn up to school wearing shorts.

But the thing about teenage boys is, the moment you ban something, they get awfully inventive with loopholes.

Enter the skirts.

The boys are so dedicated to their skirt protest, that apparently some of them have taken to shaving their legs after someone criticised their legs for being "too hairy".

As Devon Live reports, one boy in year nine wearing a skirt described the movement as starting small with only five boys, but now he expects “hundreds” to follow suit.

As for the experience, the boy said he appreciated the “nice breeze”.

One mother said: “My 14-year-old son wanted to wear shorts. The headteacher 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 because she told them it was OK, there was nothing she could do as long as they are school skirts.”

Another mother said: “Children also don’t like injustice. The boys see the women teachers in sandals and nice cool skirts and tops while they are wearing long trousers and shoes and the older boys have to wear blazers. They just think it’s unfair that they can’t wear shorts in this heat.”

At time of writing, a number of pupils have been put into isolation (detention) for the protest.

As one pupil described to Devon Live, "Loads of them have been put in isolation for stupid reasons because the school doesn't like having no control over them."

The Academy’s head teacher, Ms Aimee Mitchell has said she is happy to consider changing the uniform policy in hot weather in the future, but needs to consult students and families first.

"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.”

Either way, this has turned out to be an exceptional bit of effective protest from the boys. 

(Lead image via Devon Live)

At time of writing, a number of pupils have been put into isolation (detention) for the protest.

As one pupil described to Devon Live, "Loads of them have been put in isolation for stupid reasons because the school doesn't like having no control over them."

The Academy’s head teacher, Ms Aimee Mitchell has said she is happy to consider changing the uniform policy in hot weather in the future, but needs to consult students and families first.

"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.

Either way, this has turned out to be an exception bit of work from the boys. 

Lead image via Devon Live.