Boy, 15, wears a skirt to school because rules said he wasn’t allowed to wear shorts – forcing a U-turn by teachers as his proud mother hails him a ‘legend’
Boy, 15, wears a skirt to school because rules say he can’t wear shorts – causing teachers to force a reversal as his proud mother calls him a ‘legend’
- Joe Stratton was told that shorts from the summer uniform were for the summer period only
- He was then told the policy meant he had a choice of trousers or a skirt
A 15-year-old boy who wore a skirt to school because the rules didn’t allow him to wear shorts has forced teachers to make a U-turn, with his proud parents branding him a ‘legend’.
Joe Stratton’s protest at Stafford School in Caterham, Surrey, led to a temporary change to the uniform policy, allowing the wearing of shorts in warm weather outside the summer season.
Joe returned to school Tuesday wearing his summer uniform shorts, but was told they were only for the summer semester, his mother said.
Instead, the teenager was told that the school’s uniform policy meant he had a choice of trousers or a skirt.
The year 11 student opted for the latter and wore a skirt to school on Wednesdays and Thursdays to brave the summer heatwave.
Joe Stratton returned to school Tuesday wearing his summer uniform shorts, but was told they were only for the summer semester, according to his mother. Instead, the teenager was told that the school’s uniform policy meant he had a choice of trousers or a skirt
He also planned to do this, if necessary, “every day when he felt too hot to wear pants,” said his mother, Jo Suleyman.
“He said most of his teachers didn’t notice and didn’t say anything at all. Well, they must have noticed, or they were supporting him,” the 38-year-old claimed.
“I don’t think they expected him to actually do it.”
Joe’s father, Ronnie Stratton, described his son as a ‘legend’ and said he is ‘extremely proud’ of the youngster.
He added: ‘At first he thought he was going to be ridiculed and have the mickey taken out of him.
‘But like I said to him: in the end you stand up for what you believe in. Why would he go to school feeling hot and uncomfortable and then try to function at school? To function and be uncomfortable and hot, I don’t think it’s good.”
Joe’s protest at Stafford School in Caterham, Surrey, is said to have seen a change to the uniform policy allowing shorts to be worn in warm weather outside the summer season
Jo added that she had only heard her son’s story, but that “most of the teachers in his classes were quite proud of him because he had found a peaceful way to prove his point that didn’t hurt anyone and was a good point.” made’.
Stafford School’s uniform policy outlines two options for students in Years 7 to 10, Uniform A or Uniform B, as well as a uniform for Year 11 students.
Jo told SurreyLive that on the second day her son wore a skirt, she was told that children would be able to wear shorts on Friday.
The school in Burntwood Lane confirmed it had sent a letter to parents on Thursday saying pupils could wear summer uniforms.
Headteacher Jeff Place said in the letter: ‘The current intention is to return to full normal uniform from Tuesday 12 September, with temperatures returning.
‘We will undertake a more formal review of uniforms in due course, particularly in relation to shorts as part of Uniform A for all seasons.’