A mum who is tired of having her daughter’s school principal telling her how to dress has a wonderful suggestion for the educator.
In a thinly-veiled, wittily written letter published on Today US’s community page, Catherine Pearlman addresses the principal at her 13-year-old daughter’s school after they pulled her up on a dress code for the second time and threatened her with detention.
Why? Because the 170cm girl’s shorts don’t pass the “fingertip test” and are shorter than her arms when by her side.
Pearlman’s response to the educator is simple – why don’t you try finding her appropriate shorts?
“Thank you for sending a note home for the second day in a row to say my daughter was dressed inappropriately for school,” the letter began.
Top Comments
When I was in school, they used to tell us that the test was when you knelt, the skirt or dress had to touch the ground or be longer to be acceptable. Any shorter was against the uniform code. I remember in primary school they would check but as I got older and girls skirts got shorter, they never really checked. Although I didn't wear a short skirt, I never felt comfortable enough to! People were constantly told to tuck their shirts in though and we weren't allowed to be in public without wearing our blazers (couldn't just wear jumpers because they would say it's not part of the uniform as such!). The exception was really hot days when they expressly told us we weren't required to wear the blazer. I knew people who saw teachers in public and they weren't wearing it and got into trouble for it too! So yes it does happen here. I went to a private school, uniform wasn't an option.
While I understand this mother's frustration and think her daughter is dressed appropriately, as a teacher it's awkward to see butt cheeks hanging out below the bottom of your daughter's shorts or skirt and see teenage boys rate "best ass" and "most skin on show". There have been a number of times I've had to walk up stairs after teenage girls where I saw far more than was decent. I hate that the dress code is different for girls, but dressing appropriately for the situation is an important lesson to learn.