Queensland – it’s a private problem and it’s time to speak out

By Blog,
School uniform policies in Queensland’s Catholic and Independent schools, and Brisbane High Schools, are shocking! We recently finished going through the uniform policies online of all Queensland Catholic, Independent and Public schools. This was a massive job – we looked through 1,855 school uniform policies. We did this work from May 2017 to May 2018.
While a few schools may have changed their uniform policies over this time, the large numbers we are dealing with mean small changes will not make much difference to our numbers. Now, Queensland gets very hot, so our primary focus is on whether schools offer girls the option of wearing shorts.
Here are our most interesting findings:

The primary years

When looking at primary schools, and the primary years (grades 1 to 6) in prep to year 12 schools we found:
Catholic Schools Independent Schools Public Schools
80% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts 96% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts 12% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts
31% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts of dresses 66% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts or dresses 2% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts or dresses

Many girls in the primary years do have culottes or skorts options, but a simple pair of shorts for girls are hard to find, despite being offered to all boys. Where we say that skirts and dresses are required, this means girls in these schools have no other option in their uniform choices (other than on sports days/for sport lessons).

The secondary years

When looking at secondary schools, and the secondary years (grades 7 to 12) in prep to year 12 schools we find that:

Catholic Schools  Independent Schools  Public Schools 
96% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts  96% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts  47% DO NOT allow girls to wear shorts 
88% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts or dresses  94% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts or dresses  27% REQUIRE girls to wear skirts or dresses 
Fewer girls in the secondary years are provided with alternate uniform options, and most are forced into skirts and dresses, particularly in the Catholic and Independent sector. While public schools are doing much better, when only Brisbane high schools are included in the count, the number of secondary schools forcing girls to wear skirts and dresses skyrockets to 69%!

Number of girls affected by sector

Using data provided by the Queensland Treasury and Independent Schools Queensland, it’s possible to work out the approximate number of girls affected by school uniform policies that force them into skirts and dresses. There were 806,555 school students in Queensland in 2017. Of these, 144,512 were in the Catholic sector, 120,872 students were in the Independent sector, and the majority, 541,171, were in public schools. If we half these numbers, we get the approximate number of female students in each sector.

Catholic Sector

There are approximately 72,256 female students in the Queensland Catholic sector. Within this sector, 46% of schools across the primary and secondary years require girls to wear skirts and dresses. This equates to 33,237 girls being forced into skirts and dresses.

Independent Sector

There are approximately 60,436 female students in the Queensland Independent sector. With 79% of Independent schools across the primary and secondary years requiring girls to wear skirts or dresses, we find that 47,744 girls are being forced to wear skirts and dresses to school each day.

Public Sector

There are approximately 270,585 female students in the Queensland Public sector. With 8% of public schools across the primary and secondary years requiring girls to wear skirts or dresses, we find that 21,646 girls are being forced into skirts and dresses.

How Do We Change This?

The Queensland Department of Education recently released an updated Student Dress Code Policy that mandates choice of shorts and pants for all girls at all state schools. This will see the small number of state schools still not offering girls choice come into line. Girls’ Uniform Agenda will report on the progress made this time next year. Unfortunately, this policy does not apply to Catholic and Independent schools. What does apply to these schools however is the anti-discrimination legislation in place in Queensland that forbids an institution from discriminating against someone based on sex. It is clear that refusing girls the choice of shorts and pants, while offering these to boys, is sex-based discrimination, and families have already successfully taken private schools to the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission about this issue.

To get this changed in Catholic and Independent schools, we need you!

Schools care about what the school community wants. Please write to your school if you have children attending these sectors (and even if you don’t!), and if you are an alumni of one of these schools, write and ask why they are still discriminating against girls in this way in 2018.

If many parents and interested citizens email, write, phone, attend P&C, P&F, council meetings and open days, and state clearly that they want shorts and pants added for girls, this issue would be solved.Over 100,000 Queensland girls are being denied the right to come to school in shorts and pants BECAUSE THEY ARE GIRLS.

Private schools market themselves as being leaders in education, particularly girls’ education. There is nothing more outdated, sexist, and unacceptable that denying choice to girls, and forcing girls to wear a dress or skirt. In 2018, no educational institution should be reinforcing limiting gender stereotypes. We, as parents, must speak up and demand these schools change.