Comments by deputy principal have been criticised by students and academics

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Teenage girls at a New Zealand high school have reportedly been told to lower their skirts to knee level so as not to “distract” male students and teachers.

Around 40 students in year 11 at Henderson high school in Auckland were called to a meeting and told by deputy principal Cherith Telford that their skirts would need to be lowered to knee level, Newshub reports.

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Telford said the move was designed to “keep our girls safe, stop boys from getting ideas and create a good work environment for male staff”.

The comments have caused outrage among many students, parents and feminist commentators.

“I am very annoyed by this,” said Deborah Russell, a feminist commentator and lecturer at Massey University.

“It sends a message that young women are responsible for young men’s sexual behaviour, and also sends a bad message to young men that their sexual behaviour is uncontrollable.”

Debbi Tohill, executive director of Rape Crisis, said it was “appropriate” for schools to have dress codes but the instruction to lengthen skirts sent the message that the onus was on young women – teenagers – to stop male students and teachers getting “distracted”.

“We know that victim blaming is very common and this is a clear example of the responsibility on the girls to be responsible for their own safety,” Tohill said.

“In this instance, where the teacher is in a position of authority and control, the teacher has the responsibility to ensure a safe environment is created for all students. Teachers need to ensure that they have respectful relationships with their students.”

Sade Tuttle, a Henderson student who attended the meeting, said she did not object to the rule, but the thinking behind it.

“The rules themselves aren’t the problem; the problem is when these codes target girls specifically because their bodies are sexual and distracting,” she told Newshub.

Henderson told The Guardian that principal Mike Purcell was unavailable to comment.

