in sixth form, we are constantly being grilled about uniform dress codes, constantly being told about how “it’s preparing us for our future in the work place” or “keeping the students from less well-off families from being bullied” and even sometimes “preventing the teachers from being put in uncomfortable positions” when it comes to confronting sixth form students about the tiniest little bits of incorrect dress code. 

after multiple people are being sent home from school to change their uniform, interrupting their education, preventing them from learning potentially essential information to go towards their a-level exams, we as a year group are deciding to try and do something about it. 

going into year 12 you are turning 17, and going into year 13 you are turning 18, meaning that you are practically adults who are still being grilled about having a skirt which is 2 inches above our knee, or god forbid wearing a tank top with jeans on a 28° day, in a school with no form of air conditioning. 

However the main reason we keep getting slammed for this is because we are supposedly making the teachers uncomfortable to the point where they are asking different members of staff to get us to alter our appearance. as you can probably assume, the make teachers. if this is the case, and these teachers are using the dress code to protect the male teachers from catching a case because they simply cannot stop themselves from sexualising a MINOR who is wearing clothes suitable for the weather, then they simply should not be teaching in a school. 

not to mention the fact that every single child will use their clothing choices to express themselves how they would like to. whether it is in the form of branding they identify with, or just a particular style, children should be free to identify themselves with this as they grow into adults. restricting this is causing people to have difficulty in their life, whether it is in terms of personal identification or mental health. either way, this is not something that should be getting in the way of the compulsory education we are being forced into. 

please sign this petition to help us to get rid of such a strict dress code, allowing us to freely express ourselves, and identify the teachers who should in fact not be teaching.