School Uniforms in Tasmanian Government Schools
Tasmania updated its School Student Dress Code and Uniform Policy in 2018. This policy states that:
To ensure that the requirements of the Education Act 2016 and the Secretary’s Instruction are met, the School MUST
- provide students with unisex options in addition to any male and female specific items.
The pdf can be found here: https://publicdocumentcentre.education.tas.gov.au/Documents/Student-Dress-Code-and-Uniform-Policy.pdf#%5B%7B%22num%22%3A16%2C%22gen%22%3A0%7D%2C%7B%22name%22%3A%22XYZ%22%7D%2C56%2C757%2C0%5D
It appears that the newly updated Tasmanian Education Act 2016, now includes a section on dress code. The Act came into effect in 2020, and the section states:
103. Dress code
1) The principal of a school may develop a dress code for the students at the school.
2) A principal is to develop a dress code in accordance with the Secretary’s instructions.
3) In developing a dress code, the principal is to consult with the school association for the school.
4) In developing the dress code, a principal is to take into account the matters specified in the Secretary’s instructions.
5) The principal of a State school is to ensure that students comply with the dress code.
6) If a principal considers that a student’s failure to comply with the dress code occurs too frequently and without reasonable excuse, that failure is taken to be unacceptable behaviour under a behaviour management policy developed under section 129 by the principal.
The Tasmanian Education Act 2016 can be found here:
Letter for Education Department
If your school is not following the Department’s policy, or you think the policy is inadequate to ensure shorts and pants are made available to girls, write to the department so that they can take action.
Use our letter template that can be downloaded and edited here.