Female students have been asked not to wear leggings or tight bottoms to PE.
Secondary school students in a Co Carlow school have been told not to wear tight clothes to PE class because they are “distracting” members of staff.
According to the Carlow Nationalist, female students from Presentation College Carlow were pulled out of class last week and told that they could no longer wear leggings or tight bottoms to PE because it made their male teachers “uncomfortable.”
Students were also told not to roll up their skirts or tighten their sweatshirts for the same reason. Sources told the publication that several students were upset following the talk. No male students were advised the same.
A parent who contacted the Nationalist and wishes to remain anonymous, said that she feels her daughters have been body shamed by the rules.
She said: “My 12-year-old said: ‘No ankles, no knees, no collarbones. We are not allowed shown any skin. Basically we are to remain covered at all times’.
“My older girl is 16, and they were told they should have more respect for themselves and basically that they were using their bodies to distract the male teachers.”
An online petition against the school’s policy has since received over 3,500 signatures.
The school has yet to address the matter publicly.
