Parents’ fury as head is accused of linking short skirts to abuse
A SCHOOL has been accused of ‘victim shaming’ after pupils claimed they were told wearing a longer skirt could protect them from sexual harassment.
Parents reacted with anger after acting headteacher Martin Henton discussed a new uniform with a longer skirt as well as safeguarding issues at a welcome assembly.
Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School insisted the two issues were not related and apologised if that was not clear.
But parents said it promoted the idea that victims of sexual abuse were to blame and demanded an apology.
Ceri Robinson, 43, from Hereford, said: ‘Neither I nor my daughter have any issues with the skirt that must be worn.
‘However, my daughter and her peers were told the longer skirt was aimed at keeping the girls safe from sexual harassment.
‘I am quite stunned that this was deemed acceptable.’
She added: ‘Promoting the idea that sexual harassment can be the fault of the victim has a negative impact on the young people who should have trust in the school.
‘Any victim of any kind of abuse should be confident in talking to a teacher. The message of this assembly undermines that.’ Another mother, who did not want to be named, said: ‘ My daughter came home in tears and asked me if she should chuck her skirts [away]. ‘I asked her what was wrong and she said the girls had been told that wearing short skirts was putting them in danger. I was appalled. My daughter dresses like any other teenager does. ‘Why should she feel like she’s to blame if someone decides to harass her.’ But defending his comments, headteacher Mr Henton said: ‘In the assembly two issues were addressed.
‘Firstly, the high expectations that we set for students, and are proud of, which includes a newly designed skirt, which followed consultation from our parents and carers.
‘The second issue discussed was about safeguarding issues following the high-level reports last week regarding alarming online potential sexual threats to children. As part of our statutory responsibility to safeguard our students we took the decision to address this in the assembly.
‘There is no link between the length of the skirt and keeping girls safe from harassment. This was not the intended message during assembly.’
He added: ‘At Bishop’s our students have an active voice and are listened to.
‘Following further discussion with a number of students they have met with the headteacher. It was agreed to form a working group to explore how to address the issues associated with sexual harassment and other safeguarding issues.’
The row comes just months after parents branded the school ‘medieval’ for telling them to send in their children if they were sick.
The mixed comprehensive school caters for 1,180 boys and girls aged 11 to 16. Its latest Ofsted reports says it requires improvement.