Field hockey skirts on strike

Written By:
Nandini Kishore

Published:
Oct. 09 2009

This year, the administration has made a rule saying that skirts are not allowed to be worn during school hours as a part of their team uniform on days when they have games. Even if the athletes have leggings or sweatpants under their skirts they are not allowed to wear them.

            The rule of no skirts in school is justifiable, but it makes no sense to say that one cannot wear skirts even with leggings underneath. The whole point of wearing leggings underneath is to make the skirt more appropriate as school attire. Also, with leggings underneath the skirts, it is  not like girls are exposing themselves inappropriately.

             Before every school sporting event there is always a speech before the national anthem plays. Part of this speech says, “Remember, the field is an extension of the classroom.” If the field is an extension of classrooms, why can girls wear skirts during games on the extension of classroom, but not in actual classrooms? If skirts are not allowed in school, why are they allowed on the field, or even in other schools?

            In addition, this rule is only present at Springbrook. Other schools in Montgomery County allow their girl sports teams to wear their full uniform during game days. If the rest of Montgomery County is fine with the attire, then why does Springbrook have a rule about it?

            On a daily basis, many girls, who are not necessarily on sport teams wear skirts that are the same length or shorter than the uniform skirts. Why can they wear these skirts and not get in trouble? Also, some girls wear even shorter shorts that should not be allowed during the school day and they usually get away with it.

            Not being able to wear full uniform in school also affects captains since they usually have trouble deciding what to have the team wear on game days. Usually, when a team wears full uniform, it tells other students the game is really important. How else can the team notify the student body?