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There has been a call for an apology to students at a Carlow school after female students were told not to wear tight leggings to school.
Girls at Presentation College Carlow were told not to wear tight clothing because it was too revealing for their bodies and made their teachers “uncomfortable.”
The talks, given by the principal each year, left the students angry and several cried.
The male students were not called out of class or advised not to wear tight clothing to school.
Students say they now feel “degraded, paranoid, violated, disgusted, and unsafe” at school.
Since then, a petition calling “sexism against female students at school” has been signed more than 8,000 times.
Since then, Labor education spokesman Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has asked the school to apologize to the student body.
“I think the school has to apologize to the student body,” he said.
“I think what happened was very regrettable.
“I think it goes to the heart of many conversations and debates that are going on about second-level education and how it is carried out.
“I think the statement made by whoever made it was particularly unfair to the students.”
Mr. Ó Ríordáin added: “Students and parents are rightly upset by this letter from the school. No student should be ashamed that their attire may “distract the teacher.”
“There must also be a recognition of how completely debilitating the message that was given to the students was for the male teachers.
“This kind of discourse is unacceptable in 2020. Girls are being objectified more and more young and the last place we expect it from is from schools.
“Girls should not be made to feel embarrassed by the choice of clothing in their school communities.
Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said the school’s reports are “very disturbing.”
The Cork TD said: “It is clear that many students and their families have been greatly affected by this, and with good reason.
“It is also clear that female students felt singled out because the restrictions on the clothing female students should wear do not appear to have been directed at male students.
Ó Laoghaire said his party has contacted the school “to find out their version of events.”
Likewise, he asked the Department of Education “to seek to establish what happened in this school, and if the policy that the school is applying is adjusted to the best principles of respect, equality and dignity.”
She added: “Young women and girls today are faced with a society in which their bodies are constantly under scrutiny and in many cases they are embarrassed by their appearance. This is not acceptable.”
“It is particularly important that we ensure that young women and girls are not subjected to this when they are in school, and the Department of Education must ensure that all schools do not use a uniform policy in a way that is harmful and insensitive. “
Presentation College Carlow has insisted that its uniform policy has not changed in recent years.
In a statement, the school said: “Students are regularly reminded of school rules and regulations at the assembly.
“The school continues to address the pastoral care needs of all students through its excellent systems of pastoral care / student support at the school.
“Any query in relation to the above by parents or students will be dealt with in the usual way through the usual school channels.”
Sandy Haughney, whose daughter attends school, has also asked the school to apologize.
She told the Carlow Nationalist: “We are trying to raise our children in a way that they are not ashamed of their bodies.
“We are trying to teach our young people that just because she uses this doesn’t mean she wants that. This is all wrong, it was all very poorly done.
“The president has always been strong on the dress code, but this is more than a uniform. These are girls between 12 and 18 years old, they are very body conscious.
“Girls should apologize, they should feel safe in school.”
Mary O’Driscoll, parent council president at Presentation College, said the school held an assembly to reiterate the school uniform policy to students after some students had “taken it upon themselves” to wear whatever sweat pants they wanted. , contrary to uniform policy.
He said that he has a 17-year-old son and a 15-year-old who attend school and that his youngest son “had no problems with what was said in the assembly.”
Speaking on Tuesday, Ms O’Driscoll said: “Before Covid, there was a rule where students couldn’t bring their tracksuits on PE day. They had to bring their tracksuits and change for PE time. With Covid that rule was relaxed, as they were allowed to wear their tracksuits to school on PE day.
“Their school tracksuit is basically plain pants with no logos. What’s happening, apparently, lately: Some students have taken it upon themselves to wear leggings that are not part of the PE uniform. They are sweatpants.
“As far as I know, the assembly was held to reiterate the school uniform policy that everyone knows when they start school. They all adhere to the code of conduct ”.
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