Schools across the country could face a wave of legal complaints if uniform policy is not adapted to allow girls to wear shorts or trousers, South Australia`s Equal opportunities Commissioner warned.
Dr Niki Vincent said the attitude toward uniforms had stagnated "in the last era."
She has written to urge independent schools and faith-based schools across South Australia to reform. She said failure to provide gender-inclusive school uniforms could violate equal opportunities and anti-discrimination laws.
"the whole country lags behind in providing inclusive uniform choices." She said. "what should girls wear and what boys should wear? there is a gender stereotype here that deserves our attention."
"when girls can wear pants or shorts, we all know they do more sports."
"if they wear pants or shorts, they can run around and have the freedom to do whatever they want on campus-hanging upside down on the horizontal bars, sitting cross-legged on the floor-I think that`s what they should do."
Last year, Western Australia`s government forced schools to offer girls two uniform options, trousers or skirts, while other states refused to apply the same policy.
In South Australia, uniform policies vary, especially in private schools. The South Australian Catholic Education Association requires schools to inspect uniform policies according to the needs of existing students. So far, no complaints have been filed with the commissioner, but Dr Vincent says it is only a matter of time.
The school uniform policy is controlled by each school
At present, the South Australian Education Department guidelines require flexible clothing programmes, "regardless of the gender of the student", "freedom of movement, comfort and safety."
However, the policy applies only to government schools, "independent schools and ecclesiastical schools have their own policies." Department spokesman Dr. Vincent said most government schools "understand their obligations in this regard."
"this is not the case for many private schools in the state, and we want to help them develop a more inclusive uniform policy." She said. The Association of Independent Schools in South Australia said the uniform policy was made by schools themselves, a position echoed by the Catholic Education Association.
Dr Neil McGoran, president of the association, said: "every school decides its own uniform policy." "many of our Catholic schools have offered trousers or skirts as uniforms-especially in primary schools."
"some schools can choose pants or skirts in winter and shorts or skirts in summer."
"We encourage schools to provide uniform choices for their students to meet different needs," Dr. McGoran added, adding that schools understand that gender inclusion needs to be taken into account in updating uniform policies.
Dr. Sarah Cohen-Woods, an education specialist at Flinders University, supports uniform reform on the grounds of equality of opportunity and health.
"in school, wearing a dress often runs into awkward problems that boys don`t have at all." She said.
"it makes a difference for girls to turn over on the grass, play horizontal bars or play football, or just sit down at lunch."
