City school system orders pants options for female students
I came across an interesting directive from Baltimore city school officials to schools in the district, informing school leaders that they had to offer a pants option for female school uniforms.
Apparently some schools were requiring their female students to wear skirts, a practice that could have been deterring students from choosing certain schools, or going to school at all.
"School uniform policies that do not include an appropriate pants option for female students are considered discriminatory based on gender or sex," the system informed its school leaders. "To ensure we are promoting a positive educational environment for all students, please include an appropriate pants option for any uniform policies that require skirts only for female students."
Apparently, there were four schools that were requiring girls to wear skirts, and city school officials said that the ACLU of Maryland informed that the practice was discriminatory.
It appears that schools were not intending to discriminate, but promote a dress code they thought would encourage a professional culture in the school. But the school system agreed that culture should also reflect the 21st century.
"Uniform policies are about creating a positive educational environment and preparing students for the world beyond school," said Michael Sarbanes, spokesman for city schools. "Women have many ways of dressing in a professional and dignified way in the world and uniform requirements should reflect that diversity. "
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
We at Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Solomons are a private Catholic School K-8th grade. Our Kindergarten class comfortably wears the PE sweats uniform, as it is great for their active play day. The other grades all have a choice pants or a skirt if they are a girl. All girls wear shorts under the skirts as well. Skirts are not very short, and the jumpers go to the knee.
Personally all students should have the choice to wear pants.
Thanks.
Posted by: Suzanne Pucciarella | November 14, 2011 12:46 PM
My friends and I were recently discussing how until mid term of our senior year (June 1969 graduation class) we were not allowed to wear pants "AT ALL"; at mid term that year we were allowed to wear pants once a month on a Friday - not jeans, dunagrees, shorts, but pants.
Posted by: lavettedan | November 14, 2011 1:43 PM
The Constitution and Tinker v. Des Moines say public schools have to let students opt out of uniforms entirely.
That's the law.
Posted by: Trapper Tim, MD | November 14, 2011 2:22 PM
Uniform policies that cannot be enforced or are not enforced for whatever reason are a joke. I know that we have to allow students to opt out but then why should a parent send their child to a school where a uniform is required? Uniforms are a major headache and I wish they would go away.
Posted by: vetern teacher | November 14, 2011 7:37 PM
Trapper Time - uniforms are perfect! It keeps kids from getting killed because they have better jackets than the next kid or cooler sneakers. It alleviates all the BS in the mornings as to what you're going to wear. I think uniforms are a wonderful idea and keep students focused on learning, not what the latest trends are in fashion. IMHO
Posted by: lovesamerica | November 18, 2011 9:21 AM
When I was in middle school, my mom told me that she wasn’t able to wear pants to her public school, and that only skirts were allowed. I remember being appalled that this type of restriction could happen and so grateful that in the 90s, we didn’t have gender rules like that anymore! So, imagine my surprise to read that in places in the city students were being forced to wear skirts (if they wanted to go to that high school)! I was shocked. I thought we had stopped this idea that it was acceptable to control student’s gender identity? While I personally don’t like uniforms, I understand why students in the city are sometimes required to wear them for safety reasons, but the idea that girls could be that much more restricted—that their behavior can be that much more controlled just seems to be a sad message we are sending about our expectations of them. Plus, this wasn’t even about tradition, it was about teaching “professional behavior.” Wow, I’m really glad someone finally caught this. A rule like this would never have lasted so long in our wealthier suburban schools.
Posted by: ateacher | November 27, 2011 4:43 PM