College girls get to wear the trousers
Nelson College for Girls has caught up with other secondary schools in the city, in allowing its students to wear pants to school.
But the college appears to be ahead of the times when it comes to all-girl schools.
Trousers became part of the Nelson College for Girls uniform several weeks ago, after a group of students sought the change.
Year 13 student Sarah Eynon, coleader of the group Gals (Girls Alliance of LGBTQ and Straights), said the group wanted a ‘‘gender neutral’’ option.
‘‘It’s 2018 and I think everyone should be allowed to wear, in some way, what they feel comfortable wearing. And skirts are definitely not a comfortable option for a lot of people.’’
The school had been supportive throughout the process of adding pants to the school uniform, Eynon said.
The group approached principal Cathy Ewing last year, who took the matter to the school board.
The board then suggested a survey of students, Ewing said.
‘‘A significant enough [number] were interested in it being introduced into the uniform. Fewer were saying they would purchase them, but they felt the option should be there for those who wanted to.’’
The school hadn’t been considering introducing pants to the uniform beforehand, she said.
‘‘I think you would find there is a large number of girls’ schools that don’t have pants as an option.
‘‘It hasn’t been something that we had been intending necessarily to do, but it came from a group of girls . . . and we listened to their views.’’
The Ministry of Education did not have information about how many schools give girls the option of wearing trousers, with schools making their own decisions around uniforms, it said.
Pants are not part of the uniform at Wellington Girls’ College, Auckland Girls’ Grammar or Christchurch Girls’ High School.
However, girls could apply to the school to wear pants, if there were circumstances in which they felt they needed to wear them, Auckland Girls’ Grammar principal Ngaire Ashmore said.
The reasons could be related to culture, religion or comfort, Ashmore said, and a number of girls at the high school already wore trousers.
Pants are already allowed at Nelson’s co-ed secondary schools.
Trousers have been part of the uniform at Waimea College in Richmond for about 10 years. But only a handful of girls chose to wear them, acting principal Graeme Smith said.
Girls at Nayland College can wear skirts, shorts or pants. Deputy principal Kathy Sherwood said skirts were the most popular option.
The college let girls wear pants for warmth, and to allow them a degree of choice, she said.
‘‘There is a large number of girls’ schools that don’t have pants as an option. It hasn’t been something that we had been intending necessarily to do, but it came from a group of girls . . . and we listened to their views.’’
Nelson College for Girls principal Cathy Ewing