The skirt reigns among the students with uniform
ELENA RODRIGUEZGIJON.
Unimos Podemos has opened Pandora's box. Just a few days ago, she presented a non-law proposal to the Equality Commission of Congress to end the imposition of the skirt in educational centers, considering that "it perpetuates gender stereotypes" and "it is discriminatory." It was approved with the vote in favor of the PSOE, the vote against the PP (which alluded to the autonomy of the center and the freedom of election of the school council) and the abstention of Ciudadanos. Now, this proposal to reform the Equality Law and put an end to "an anachronism that violates equality between men and women" is on the Government's table.
But this fight, now with more impact, is not new. The first objectors were two Canarian girls, Sina and Carmen, who in 2015, at the age of eight, refused to wear the skirt after hearing how the Supreme Court allowed nursing staff to dress equally. Those who support the cause also allege that the skirt prevents them from running or playing freely, their underwear is visible and they are cold in winter.
In the private and concerted centers of Asturias -where the uniform is fundamentally used (about 60)-, the debate is seen from a distance. Among other things, because the decision to use it was driven by the families themselves and because, at least in the larger ones, they already allow female students to wear skirts or pants. The issue, they agree, is that the vast majority of the students continue to opt for wearing the skirt. The main reason, the aesthetic.
This flexibility of wearing skirts or trousers already exists in schools such as Corazón de María (Codema), in Gijón, where until the 2012-2013 academic year there was no uniform. When the families expressed their interest in rethinking this issue, a process was opened that had to have more than 50% participation and two thirds in favor. The 'yes' won in Infant (where sportswear is worn) and in the first, second, third and fourth of Primary. It was at these levels that the next course was introduced and, in order to respect the decision of those who did not want to, it was gradually extended until reaching the second year of ESO today, with the intention of extending it to the fourth year of Secondary. In high school it is voluntary.
Its director, Simón Cortina, maintains that “the center gives the students the opportunity to choose. That choice supposes freedom and educating in equality». Now, there are few who are inclined by the pants. The uniform, which over time was liked more "because of its cheerful colors", is seen normally.
"Make it a law?"
A very similar situation was experienced by the Colegio Santa María del Naranco, in Oviedo, with 1,800 students. "The uniform was recovered seven or eight years ago at the request of families, who saw it as more comfortable so as not to have to struggle every morning with 'what should I wear?'", recalls its director, Jaime Nicolás Alvarodíaz. He acknowledges that he was not a supporter, but "now everyone is delighted."
Where appropriate, Primary and Secondary students are also given the option of choosing between a skirt or pants, with a specific cut for them. "However, 99% still wear skirts." Or miniskirt, so much that adolescents, in general, tend to shorten the length. «From my personal point of view, the best thing would be for everyone, boys and girls, to wear pants and there would be no distinction between the sexes. The pants are more practical for everyday activities. To go up, down, sit down... », he adds.
In this sense, he points out that he is "against all sexism, everything that goes against freedom, equality and dignity", although he does not hide his fear that the parliamentary initiative implies "another form of sexism" in which the pants are imposed.
"What the commission proposes is common sense," says Mónica Corominas, head of Educational Innovation Studies at the San Fernando de Avilés school, with 1,700 students. “Neither the skirt nor the pants can be mandatory. Everyone has to feel comfortable with their way of dressing and feeling. One thing-she points out-is that a recommendation be made from higher instances. But from there to take it to a law...».
A decade ago, in his center, also at the request of the parents, a vote was put on whether to introduce the uniform or not. The 'yes' triumphed. Since then, all female students (except in Baccalaureate, which is not compulsory) have been offered the choice of skirt or trousers. As in the previous ones, most continue with the skirt. For aesthetics. "With pants there may be five or six in Secondary," specifies Corominas, who remembers how she only a few days ago "two girls from Baccalaureate asked if they could continue with the uniform."
More pressing problems
The option of choosing the trousers also exists in the San Vicente de Paúl de Gijón. "Some secondary school students asked for it five years ago in the school council," explains its director, Julia Roces. «They claimed that with the skirt they were cold». From that request they can opt for a navy blue collegiate pants with a different shape. But only some wear it in winter. «It will be three, four, five...». The rest continues with tights and skirt. "They say for convenience." Although also “out of habit”.
Precisely to "rooted cultural reasons" attributes the director of the Santa Teresa de Jesús School in Oviedo, Ramón Eliseo Fernández, the use of the skirt. “Now our uniform has been homologated with that of the rest of the Teresianas schools and the skirt is maintained, but a few years ago it depended on the center itself and wearing a skirt or pants was left to the discretion of our students. If they wanted, in winter, they could wear pants. But, even if it could, it was not used. There was no claim in this regard.
Now the skirt remains, although the director maintains that, if it were up to him, it would not be closed in a band to the pants. «In any case, I do not see the skirt as something sexist or pejorative. It responds to rooted cultural reasons. Nothing else », he maintains. What he does see as “strange” is that this matter wants to be reflected in a law and he wonders “how is it possible that, having more pressing problems in Education, a debate is being held about the uniform. It's superfluous." Exactly the same question is asked by Jesús Alonso Vallaure, the president of the Association of Parents of Students of the Immaculate (Jesuit) school in Gijón. "Look, there are no problems in the world..." he says.
Two types of uniform currently coexist in the center, since two years ago theirs was unified with that of the other Jesuit centers in the north. In the old model -this course is the last one in which it survives-, there was a skirt-trousers for the girls and, in the new one, a skirt. There are those who remember that, years ago, there were pants with a girl's cut, "but their use was very residual."
This type of decision - maintains the secretary of Catholic Schools, Carlos Robla - "is not the product of chance, but rather that the families have been consulted beforehand. You have to respect it and see it normally. From my point of view, the use of the skirt is not discriminatory, but a tradition. But obviously it can be changed. Nothing happens », maintains the also former director of Auseva (Marists), from Oviedo, who in his time at the helm and, being against the uniform, opened the vote to families, who opted for its implementation.
In a dozen audiences
Although the uniform is widespread in the concertada, there are public centers (about a dozen) where families who so wish are allowed to bring their children in uniform. It's optional. In Gijón, for example, Clarín, Piles and the Cabueñes school have this possibility, where parents assure that, "since there is a wide range of possibilities", this debate about the use of skirts or pants does not affect them fully.
Asturias, EducationTrends
