‘Sexist’ school is victim-shaming us, claim girls in short skirts row
PUPILS launched a protest at a comprehensive school yesterday after a teacher made a video blaming girls in short skirts for encouraging sexual remarks by boys.
Outraged girls said they were being victim-shamed and that the responsibility lay with boys, who should be taught how to behave better.
Student Dolce Hayes-Lund, 16, said: “We were all just shocked and felt disrespected, especially considering it was a female teacher.The school could do way more to prevent it happening, it’s just been normalised.
“When you tell the teachers about boys making comments or bullying it gets dismissed as ‘boys will be boys’.”
Jaimie Wood, also 16, said: “The way she said it, was like it’s our fault. When it should be boys being taught how to behave.”
In the clip, shown on the private YouTube channel at Lytchett Minster School in Poole, Dorset, the teacher highlights the issue of girls having to cover their bottoms with their planners when they walk upstairs.
This is to prevent “silly and sexualised” comments from boys following behind. She said: “Everyone has a right to come to school without being sexually harassed and without having sexual comments made about them...
“One of the issues we have is where girls have to go upstairs with their planners behind their backsides.There is only one reason that you have to do this and that is because your skirt is too short. Think girls, be sensible, we don’t need to have skirts that short.
“When you are breaking school uniform rules and having your skirts far too short that is going to tempt boys to say things isn’t it? And boys, sorry, I am not talking about all of you but we also know that some of you are making silly comments and sexualised comments.”
Many of the pupils staged a demonstration on the school playing field, while girls turned up to school in leggings instead of skirts in protest.
Head teacher Andrew Mead apologised for the video and said the unidentified teacher who posted it
“deeply regrets” doing so. He added: “We felt it was important to raise the issue of sexual harassment in society and in school.
“A section of the video caused a lot of upset, which was clearly unintended. A letter of apology was sent to all students and parents.
“The member of staff who made the comment on the video recognises that no one ever deserves abuse on account of what they are wearing.”