A group of boys in the UK who had turned up to school in Devon in skirts to protest against the anti-shorts uniform policy despite an extreme heatwave today won their fight to be allowed to wear shorts to classes.
A group of boys in the UK who had turned up to school in Devon in skirts to protest against the anti-shorts uniform policy despite an extreme heatwave today won their fight to be allowed to wear shorts to classes.
The boys from Exeter's ISCA Academy have been told they will be allowed to wear shorts from next year.
The school said the change to the uniform policy was being brought into account for summers getting hotter in the UK but it could not allow an immediate change because it "would put undue pressure on some of our families".
"Shorts are not currently part of our school uniform for boys. Contrary to news reports, we have not banned shorts; shorts are simply not part of our school uniform," the school said in a statement.
"However, as summers are becoming hotter, shorts will be introduced as part of our school uniform from next year having first consulted with students and parents. We feel that introducing a change in uniform part way through this year would put undue pressure on some of our families," it added.
The school also clarified that none of the boys who wore skirts in protest have been "penalised".
"In the meantime, our summer uniform allows students not to wear their jumper or blazer. Also, recognising the recent temperatures, students have also been allowed not to wear ties, to have the top button on their shirts undone, and to wear their shirts untucked if they are feeling very hot," the school said.
An estimated 30 boys at the school in Devon, south-west England, arrived for lessons in tartan-patterned skirts, borrowed from sisters and girlfriends, on Wednesday and yesterday.
The UK has had some of its hottest days this week, leading to the boys requesting permission to wear shorts to classes but were told it was not possible as it went against the school's uniform policy.
Claire Lambeth, the mother of one of the boys who began the protest, said she was proud of him.
"Ryan came up with the idea of wearing a skirt, so that evening we borrowed one. He wore it the next day as did other boys...I think it was a great idea," she said.
Meanwhile, Michael Wood, a porter at Watford General Hospital, was facing disciplinary action from his employers Medirest for rolling up his trousers during the heatwave.
The GMB union has said it will tell all porters who are among its members to wear dresses if he was not reinstated.
"What we're hoping to do is get round the table and get Michael back to work, failing that, the chief executive of Watford General Hospital, [is] going to see her porters wearing dresses. We're going to put out a message to porters [to start] wearing dresses and start wearing skirts," said GMB official Mick Dooley.
Wood claims he rolled up his black-coloured polyester trousers to three-quarter-length on Wednesday the hottest June day in the UK for 40 years but was called to the office and asked to roll them down again.
When he said he "could not promise" not to roll them back up, he was sent home.
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