Young person’s commissioner backs schoolboy battling gender-specific uniforms

Published on Sunday 12 February 2012 15:07

A SCHOOLBOY’S bid to end gender-specific school uniforms has won the backing of the commissioner for young people. A petition was lodged to the Scottish Government last year by 13-year-old Luca Scarabello.

The Public Petitions Committee is considering the proposals, which could see boys being allowed to wear skirts to school.

The country’s commissioner for young people, Tam Baillie, said the issue “raises some important children’s rights issues”.

School pupils are not obliged by law to wear a uniform, and neither schools nor education authorities have powers to compel parents to send their children to school in a uniform. But local authorities must have a dress code policy and headteachers can also ban certain garments.

Mr Baillie said gender specific uniforms, such as trousers for boys and dresses and skirts for girls could cause “serious distress” for pupils with gender variants.

He also said schools ought to review their uniform policies to make sure they don’t discriminate.

In January, he wrote to the clerk of the Public Petitions Committee, saying: “School uniforms and dress codes should not discriminate, directly or indirectly against any of these protected groups.

“I believe we should be celebrating difference, rejecting discriminatory practice and allowing our children and young people to express themselves freely in a way that is both inclusive and respectful.”

The commissioner also called for a debate on the St Mungo’s RC High School pupil’s proposals for uniforms to be “more comfortable, less physical-restrictive and more affordable”.

Mr Baillie said: “I agree with the petitioner that considerable time can be spent in enforcing compliance which has the potential to lead to resentment on the part of the pupil. This can distract from time which could be better spent in developing supportive learning environments.

“The suggestion of the petitioner to replace traditional uniforms with more comfortable and cheaper alternatives is one I that is worth discussing, but I would prefer to call for flexibility rather than a blanket ban on school uniforms. This would accommodate difference and reduce stigma.”

Education Secretary Mike Russell has previously said the issue is a matter for education authorities.

Comments

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17

Digory

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:40 PM

Of course if there was an insistence that the rest of the Scottish School population should wear whatever the pupil in question prefers this would demand less flexibility than at present.

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16

Digory

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:49 AM

Maybe a kilt or kilt type garment - already available in some stores - in the appropriate colour - would satisfy everyone.

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15

tartantt

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:03 AM

Dont let the tail wag the dog. If this lad has a serious issue, & wants to wear a skirt to school, then let him, but dont attempt to put pressure on normal children to feel that they have to follow suit. On reflection, it may be better all round if he went to a special school. It does not inspire confidence in Mr Baillie. Is he worth the money, or is it jobs for the boys?

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14

KINGFISHER1

Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:11 AM

I am going to be VERY DIFFICULT here. There is a VERY SERIOUS and TECHNICAL POINT. We have no objection to unisex clothing. However it is MATERIAL and FUNDAMENTAL that there are Two distinct and specific sexes. La Falda Escocia is indeed a skirt,and such is suitable for school wear. I do not like this article . It is DELIBERATELY INSULTING

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13

Lapidator

Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:53 AM

I don't see a problem with eliminating the gender specifics - as it stands many (most? all?) schools have no issue with girls wearing trousers and sweatshirts. But there is a bit of muddled message here when we start getting into young people expressing themselves and being able to wear more comfortable, less restrictive whatever-you-like. Uniform policies promote equality, and remove one avenue for bullying. They can also promote pride in the school and identify young people with their community. Many of us have to wear some form of uniform - it helps our customers or patients to identify us and strengthens their belief in our ability to deliver the service they expect. Welcome to the real world!

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12

Otto Bàn

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 09:56 PM

Re flyinngscott (#10) : that's right. It might be fine in an ideal world where clothing had no sexual connotations, but the real world isn't like that. Revealing clothes do have sexual connotations (regardless of whether they're worn as part of a uniform), and they're bought, sold and worn on that basis. They ought not to be acceptable as part of school uniform.

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11

Harvey Mushman

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 08:38 PM

Seriously?? Really?? I always thought the Scots had more than average amounts of common sense....

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10

flyinngscott

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 08:38 PM

Make what you like of it dgg. The sexualisation of young girls scares the sh!t out of me. I have three girls at primary, and the pressures on them from shareholder driven media ( ie playing to the lowest common denominator) which count appearance and desirability above all else, is unrelenting. ================ School uniform is a great idea, but when it can be used to portray a st trinians type image, maybe its our society which is sick. Pandering to minorities wont help one bit. A well defined dress policy, properly enforced will.========================= I'm sure the young chap in question could wait till he gets home from school before expressing his identity freely.

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9

Lidl Shopper

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 08:32 PM

Well done Luca - you're a courageous lad. All the best.

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8

dgg

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:27 PM

This is about the lad's right to dress in a manner he feels comfortable with (and no doubt sensationalism would die down after his classmates had got used to the idea). It's not about young lads with their trousers nearer their knees that their waistline, not is it about girls unbuttoning themselves or hiking their skirts. I put it this way because I'd like to know what sort of sexualisation #3 thinks school dress codes are actually susceptible to. Are we talking sexuality or stereotyping?

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7

dgg

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:21 PM

#3 School uniform and sexualisation? You've been visiting too many websites.

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6

Magnus the Passenger

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:17 PM

Shame for Tam. He has obviously got a bit over excited about his very minor importance in modern society and has forgotten one of the major golden rules. Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"

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5

not a scot

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 06:26 PM

welcome to the snp,s brave new scotland

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4

flyinngscott

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 05:14 PM

#3. Good point, hookers dressing like school girls, and school girls dressing like hookers. A hell of a lot more important than a couple of sensitive wee souls.

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3

Otto Bàn

Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 04:20 PM

I think it's more important to have a dress code that isn't open to sexualisation, which it clearly is at the moment.

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