Parents furious after teacher sends 200 girls home for wearing short skirts and using makeup

Caldicot School in Wales has come under fire after a new acting headteacher, Alun Ebenezer, enforced a stricter uniform policy. Parents are furious, particularly because the enforcement seems to target girls unfairly.

Strict enforcement, unhappy parents

The new rules require skirts to be knee-length. According to parents, on the first day of enforcement, girls arriving at school were met with teachers armed with wet wipes to remove makeup, nail clippers, and rulers to measure skirt lengths. Those deemed out of compliance faced consequences, including being sent home from school.

Parents reported up to 200 girls being blocked from classes. Some girls said they were even held in a room until they could be sent home. A father collecting his daughter claimed both students and parents were left in tears.

Concerns about fairness and focus

Critics, including a local councillor, argue that the enforcement focuses disproportionately on girls and their appearance. They object to girls being singled out for makeup, eyelashes, and skirt length, while seemingly no similar measures were taken regarding boys’ uniforms.

School’s justification

The school maintains they are simply enforcing the existing uniform policy, which had previously not been as strictly followed. The council also pointed out that the headteacher had previously warned parents about the upcoming stricter enforcement. Regarding concerns about girls being singled out, the council assured the public that female staff handled all matters concerning girls’ uniforms.

Ebenezer’s history of strict enforcement

This is not the first time Mr. Ebenezer has sparked controversy with his strict enforcement of uniform policies. At his previous school, he was criticized for removing students from class for wearing the wrong socks. He also faced criticism for insisting a Rastafarian student cut his dreadlocks to comply with the uniform policy.

The situation at Caldicot School remains unresolved. Parents are demanding answers and a more balanced approach to uniform enforcement, while the school defends its actions as simply upholding its existing policies.