Hastings councillor says its 'gender discrimination’ male pupils can't wear shorts all year

A councillor has accused a St Leonards school of ‘gender discrimination’ for refusing to allow male students to wear shorts year-round.
The councillor for the Baird ward in Hastings, Mike Turner, has criticised the ‘ridiculous’ uniform policy of The St Leonards Academy.The councillor for the Baird ward in Hastings, Mike Turner, has criticised the ‘ridiculous’ uniform policy of The St Leonards Academy.
The councillor for the Baird ward in Hastings, Mike Turner, has criticised the ‘ridiculous’ uniform policy of The St Leonards Academy.

Baird ward councillor Mike Turner criticised the ‘ridiculous’ uniform policy of The St Leonards Academy.

The current policy of the academy, which is run by the University of Brighton Academies Trust, is that students are not normally allowed to wear shorts. However, it said when the weather was ‘adverse’ students could wear PE shorts instead.

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Cllr Turner said: “I got in touch with the University of Brighton to express my concerns, but they failed to explain to me why female students are allowed to wear short skirts yet the male students cannot wear shorts. It is ridiculous and is clearly in breach of the Equalities Act. Their uniform policy has no logical merit and is little more than gender discrimination.

The University of Brighton Academies Trust denied the accusation that it is discriminating against students based on their gender, stating that its policy ‘applies to all students’.The University of Brighton Academies Trust denied the accusation that it is discriminating against students based on their gender, stating that its policy ‘applies to all students’.
The University of Brighton Academies Trust denied the accusation that it is discriminating against students based on their gender, stating that its policy ‘applies to all students’.

“When I challenged the vice chancellor and the trust chief executive for an explanation of this ludicrous policy they simply kept repeating, parrot-like, that ‘uniform policy is down to the academy’. All the principal of the academy had to say is, ‘we are reviewing it’. They have been doing so for more than two years at least.”

He added: “They should be ashamed of themselves.”

The University of Brighton Academies Trust said it was not discriminating against students based on gender, stating that its policy ‘applies to all students’.

It said it allows students to wear PE kits during periods of adverse weather.

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A spokesperson for the University of Brighton Academies Trust said: "The St Leonards Academy, along with other local secondary schools in the Hastings and Bexhill area does not include shorts as part of their uniform policy. This applies to all students.

"However, in adverse weather conditions like what we are experiencing this week, students have the option to wear PE kits to school, which include shorts.

"Our uniform policy is under review, and we will continue updating our school community throughout the process."

Cllr Turner added: “Why can’t the male students wear shorts if they wish rather than have to wait for historically the hottest weather on record? It should be their choice year-round, just as it is with the girls when deciding to wear skirts. This ridiculous, unfair, and discriminatory policy needs to change.”

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