A livid mother has pulled her 12 year old daughter out of school, accusing the institution of punishing her for wearing a skirt that was merely 2cm too short. Cola Glenny, 34, alleges that her daughter Pearl was left distraught following what she describes as a “military”-style inspection at the Hundred of Hoo Academy, where teachers were reportedly measuring girls’ skirts.
The uniform policy at the Rochester, Kent-based school dictates that skirt hems must be no more than 6cm from the top of the knee. Cola recounts receiving a tearful phone call from Pearl on Monday (September 15), who claimed she had been isolated in the main hall all day because her skirt measured 8cm above the knee.
Now, the mother has made the decision to withdraw her daughter from Year 8 and intends to homeschool her until they can find a suitable alternative. Cola, who operates a catering business, said: “They put her in [isolation] because her skirt was too short, and she wasn’t allowed any food or drink in that time.
“It was awful. She is quite a confident girl, so I don’t ever receive phone calls like that from her. She was hysterical, I couldn’t really hear what she was saying so I was panicking.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“Her skirt isn’t too short to the eye, it is just 8cm above the knee because she is quite tall. If I got her any bigger then it would fall down at the waist and her knickers would be hanging out the top of her skirt. They have always been quite strict but they have never gotten a ruler out.
“I agree with strict uniform policies as there are some girls with skirts up their bums, but when you look at a skirt to the eye and it is not that short then why should we humiliate girls like that.” Several other mothers have reportedly withdrawn their children from the school as well, with Cola claiming that five additional parents have approached her saying they have taken the same action.
She continued: “When I went to the school to collect Pearl I saw at least 20-30 other girls going into the school hall where they had been pulled out of their classes as well. Today I got an email saying that skirts were being measured at the gate and if they weren’t good enough the girls are being sent home. They are missing out on their whole education now.
“I just think they are taking the uniform thing too far. There were so many girls just crying their eyes out and I just thought ‘how can you humiliate all these young girls for a skirt that their parents have bought them.'” Cola says that Pearl had previously settled in well at the school and formed several friendships, so she hadn’t wanted to remove her daughter.
She said: “She was just traumatised by it. She said to me on Monday evening that she doesn’t feel safe in school anymore, and I agree with her. She shouldn’t be going to school and feeling bullied by teachers. It is definitely like a military camp. I don’t feel like my daughter is safe there anymore, so I have pulled her out.”
Despite numerous complaints, the school, which is part of the Leigh Academies Trust, has stood by its uniform policy. The school refutes claims that staff used rulers and insists it provided alternative skirts and access to food, drink, and toilet breaks. A spokesperson for the school stated: “The academy has clear expectations around uniform, including that skirts are of an acceptable length. These standards apply to all students and are in place to promote fairness, consistency and a positive learning environment.
“We understand that finding suitable uniform can sometimes be more challenging for individual students, particularly as they grow. To assist families, we recently altered our policy so that parents could purchase skirts from a broad range of high street retailers, rather than only through a uniform shop.
“This means that suitable skirts are more accessible and available in a variety of fits. In this specific case we will be contacting the parent directly to offer support and to help source an appropriate skirt that meets the academy’s requirements. Clear uniform standards help students understand the importance of presenting themselves in a professional way. This is a skill that will support them beyond school, in further education and in the workplace.
“In advance of this term we wrote to all parents about skirt length, first in the summer and again in the first week back, giving parents until 15th September to replace skirts that no longer met the requirements. College teams then contacted families of specific pupils who had outgrown their skirt, and further reminders were sent on Friday.
“We recognise the importance of Year 11 students’ preparation for GCSEs and our priority is to support them in achieving their best outcomes.”