Schoolgirl, 13, who was forced to isolate over trousers that showed her ANKLES claims she was told teachers and pupils ‘would find them distracting’
- Schoolgirl Olivia Harrison, 13, was told to change into clothes from lost property
- She was told by a staff member that her trousers showed ‘too much’ of her figure
- When she refused to change, she was put into isolation before being sent home
A schoolgirl claims she was told to change her trousers and socks because her ankles were showing and it could be ‘distracting to teachers’.
Olivia Harrison, 13, said she was ordered to change into clothes from lost property by a staff member at John Smeaton Academy, Leeds, during lunchtime on Monday.
The schoolgirl said she was told by the female staff member that her trousers showed ‘too much’ of her figure and her ankles would be ‘distracting’.
Olivia explained: ‘[The staff member] said I had to change my trousers and socks because you could see my ankles and she said it was distracting for other pupils and teachers.
‘I said, ‘are you saying they’re going to get turned on?’ And [the staff member] said, ‘well I wouldn’t put it like that.’
‘She said my trousers showed my figure too much as well.’
Olivia Harrison, 13 (right), said she was ordered to fetch replacement clothes from the lost property by a staff member
The schoolgirl said she was told by the female staff member that her trousers showed ‘too much’ of her figure and her ankles would be ‘distracting’
Olivia objected to wearing lost property trousers and was then sent to isolation.
When she refused to comply, she was excluded for two days and sent home, with a further three days in isolation to complete after she returns to school on Thursday.
Olivia’s mother, Karen Harrison, said several students have fallen foul of uniform rules since the school was taken over by The Gorse Academies Trust at the start of term.
‘It’s got really bad the last two weeks,’ she said.
‘Olivia’s trousers are from Debenhams, they’re the ones she wore before with no problems.
‘Now I’ve got to order more trousers. They should be more interested in education and not what pupils are wearing.’
Karen said she has tried to contact the school several times but to no avail.
A spokesperson for The Grove Academies Trust said: ‘We have the highest standards across all areas of school life, whether that is in the classroom, in terms of behaviour and with regard to uniform.
‘We make no apologies for this and are pleased that the majority of students abide by these standards.
‘However where students do not meet them, we have clear policies in place. We do not comment on individual cases but can say we have not received a parental complaint on this matter.’
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