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CostaBlancaPeople 25th September -1st October
School accused of sexism in dress code The dispute at Torrevigía school is around what is acceptable for girls to wear to their classes.
T
he no. 5 secondary school in Torrevieja has taken a firm stand. Girls can’t wear shorts or skirts above the knee. However, many students at the school and their parents are unhappy with the decision. As we look towards temperatures next week of 30 degrees, the only option for most girls is to come to school in trousers or long skirts. Boys on the other hand seem to be exempt from the ‘above the knee’ ruling and continue to turn up in shorts of any length. Arriving at school at 8am, it has been reported that the students have been monitored for their school wear with the headteacher, caretaker and a teacher standing at the entrance selecting any girl who they considered was not appropriately
dressed. They were then sent to the library whilst other girls were allowed to continue with their studies in the normal way. Some parents are also up in arms at the segregation which they consider is also having an impact on their daughters’ education. They are effectively being excluded from their lessons during the crucial autumn term. They claim that it is unrealistic for the management of the school to expect girls to attend in trousers or skirts below the knee when temperatures are in the 30s. Objections have been raised to the manner in which the girls are vetted for appropriateness. Some feel that there has been very little objective comparison with some girls randomly being pulled out and others allowed to continue with their studies. Another objection is that teachers don’t have to follow the same dress code. At the time of going to press there had been a call for students to come in shorts or skirts on Monday 24th and protest at the entrance
to the school. Spanish schools generally do not have school uniforms unlike schools in the UK, where strict uniform rules are normal. In June this year a teachers in Vega Baja secondary school in Callosa de Segura refused entry to a girl who was wearing ‘inappropriate clothing’. The student was considered to be wearing shorts that were too short. By taking a firm line on this, the headteacher at Torrevigía has secured support from those wanting to see firm discipline in schools. Suzanne O’Connell
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