Mum claims school’s gender neutral policy won’t allow her son to wear shorts, but he can wear a skirt

The mother of a VCE student at St Helena Secondary College in Eltham North has told Neil Mitchell her son was suspended for wearing shorts instead of pants during winter.

As reported by Ashley Argoon in the Herald Sun, the mother was told her son, who has a medical condition, couldn’t wear shorts but could wear a skirt if he wanted, in accordance with the school’s gender neutral policy.

Joanna told Neil Mitchell her 17-year-old son has an overheating condition which causes him to get blood noses.

“He likes to play soccer and basketball and wearing long pants just doesn’t work, he’s constantly off dealing with blood noses,” he said.

“A couple of years ago the girls approached school council and asked their rights be the same as the boys, which is great.

“In that instance the school decided to get rid of shorts, for everyone, but not in terms two and three.”

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“I said that it was unfair that boys only have one choice and I was told the uniform policy was gender neutral,” Joanna said.

“They said the boys can wear a skirt with tights.”

“The Education Department is denying that,” Neil said.

“Well, I was told that,” she said.

“We don’t want to make a scene we just want the policy changed.

“Don’t take away the choice to wear shorts.”