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School sticks to its guns over ‘draconian’ tights policy and releases a video explaining to parents why it’s important

As temperatures soared, girls at Oban High School were being reprimanded for failing to wear tights.
As temperatures soared, girls at Oban High School were being reprimanded for failing to wear tights.

An Argyll school has released a video explaining why its uniform policy is necessary after a backlash from parents over forcing girl to wear tights on sweltering days.

Parents have continued to vent their anger at Oban High School’s policy, prompting staff to respond.

Earlier this month, The Press and Journal reported that girls were being reprimanded for failing to wear tights as temperatures soared.

A number of parents said their daughters were pulled up over uniform violations for wearing socks instead of tights under their school skirts in the sweltering heat.

Oban High School.

Parents were emailed a link to a Youtube clip created by the school outlining why they must enforce it.

Local councillor Julie McKenzie said she had spoken to numerous parents about their concerns.

One mum is also unhappy with how the school is handling any footwear violations, by telling pupils to remove their shoes at the entrance and put on a “shared pair”.

Elinore Smith said her 15-year-old daughter was “isolated” for wearing high-top trainers despite a surgeon’s advice.

A surgeon’s letter was provided to the school to dismiss her from wearing school shoes, as she was wearing specially moulded insoles to try and correct her bones.

Despite this, she was continually reprimanded.

‘She was sick and fed up of the daily digs’

Ms Smith said: “The school disregarded the letter and still continued to pull her up, also throwing insults that if I couldn’t afford to buy her shoes – they would.

“She was isolated in a class herself due to footwear. Due to the continued comments she has had to leave school not completing her exams. She was sick and fed up of the daily digs from teachers.

“My daughter has several types of trainers she wears for comfort, none of which are black, and her feet still end up bruised, throbbing and on occasion bleeding.

“A teacher suggested she wear the school’s own plimsole trainers which would be hell for her feet.”

Councillor McKenzie said she was “disturbed” to hear about concerns at Oban High School.

Councillor Julie McKenzie.

She said: “Right now young people’s mental health and self-esteem should be of the utmost priority. Encouraging them to get back into school following the year that we have had should be the primary focus.

“Putting any barriers in the way of this defies belief.

“Parents are telling me that shoes have got to be all black. Even if there is a small white badge or white on the sole, they are being asked to remove them. I’m told there is a collection of shoes that gets shared around the pupils if they are not wearing the correct footwear.

‘Draconian approach’

“I am horrified. As more parents come forward with reports, tights appear to have been the tip of the iceberg.

“The shoe issue again highlights the draconian approach to uniform enforcement at the school and also raises concerning issues of hygiene.

“I am completely in support of the parents who are raising these issues.”

A poll on our previous story about school uniforms at Oban High School received 571 votes.

A total of 513 people (89.9%) said they didn’t believe the school was taking the right approach.

‘These rules are supported by almost all pupils’

A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council said: “Oban High School follows the council’s uniform policy by promoting strict uniform rules. These are supported by almost all pupils and parents, including the Parent Council.

“The school has various support measures in place for children and families who need help in obtaining a school uniform – measures which are gratefully received by those families affected.

“We would urge parents and/or pupils who have any concerns about the uniform to take up the school’s offer and get in touch with them directly.”