A FURIOUS mum has slammed a school’s ‘woke’ uniform policy change – claiming her daughter was forced to wear trousers when she wanted to wear a skirt.
Alice Jones dropped off her excited daughter, Millie, 11, for her first day of secondary school on Wednesday.
Alice Jones (pictured with daughter Millie) says her daughter was forced to wear trousers because of a “woke” school uniform policy Credit: Kennedy News
Alice says Millie (above) wanted to wear a skirt to school Credit: Kennedy News
But the social worker was stunned when she claims a staff member at the Co-op Academies Trust school in Greater Manchester refused to let Millie in until she put trousers on.
This comes after a new trouser policy was introduced starting in September, which requires all students to wear plain black tailored trousers.
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The 38-year-old claims that while she knew about the ‘ridiculous’ policy she gave MIllie, who was ‘crying’ at the thought of wearing trousers, the choice to wear a skirt instead.
After refusing to take her child home over the ‘woke’ rule, Alice claims she received a call from staff saying Millie ‘made her own choice’ to wear a pair of trousers they provided her with.
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All students at the Co-op Academies Trust school are required to wear “plain black tailored trousers” Credit: Kennedy News
Alice says Millie (pictured in primary school) is a girl and “should be able to wear a skirt” Credit: Kennedy News
Alice insists this was only because her daughter was issued an ‘ultimatum’ and believes the incident ‘ruined Millie’s milestone moment’ starting secondary school.
The mum-of-three claims she has since complained to the academy trust arguing that because her daughter identifies as a girl she therefore ‘should be able to wear a skirt’.
Government guidelines state headteachers can discipline students who do not wear the correct uniform and while schools can choose their uniform policy, parents can complain if they believe it is discriminatory.
Alice, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said: “It’s an example of wokeism that has gone way too far.
“It’s just ridiculous and I still don’t understand the rationale behind it.
“It’s always been part of the uniform.
“She’s a girl and identifies as a girl and was born a girl and has always been a girl, she should be able to wear a skirt.
“She’s always worn skirts, pinafores and summer dresses and she’s never worn trousers for school.
“She was crying and was upset and she wanted to wear a skirt.
“I said ‘I don’t agree with this policy, if you want to wear a skirt I’ll buy a skirt but we fight it and we fight it all the way’.
“On her first day her big brother walked her in and I turned the car round and I saw a staff member make her stand to one side.
“I went over and said ‘what’s going on?’. The woman said ‘you need to go home and put trousers on her’.
“I said ‘I refuse to take her home because she’s wearing a skirt because it’s absolutely disgusting. Your policy is sexist and I’ll not be allowing her to come home because she’s got a skirt on’.
“At about 8.45am they rang me and said ‘just letting you know that Millie’s made her own choice to wear trousers today and enter the building and get on with her day’.
“The school made it out like it was her choice to wear trousers, which I argued.
“They just gave her an ultimatum, which will be ‘if you don’t wear trousers you can’t go into the school building and enjoy the school day’.
“I understand it in the context of their new policy but I don’t agree with it.
“I think it’s sexist and it raises questions about inequality.
“It was the fact it was her first day of school as a year seven, which is scary for anybody.
“She was upset by the experience and it ruined her milestone moment.”
Alice said that while her daughter was ‘upset’ by the experience she went into school the next day again wearing a skirt, but packed some trousers in her bag.
The mum says she has sent a formal complaint to the trust and hopes the rule will be scrapped.
Alice said: “It’s just disgusting in 2026. I remember being in school and my sister had to fight to wear trousers.
“They’re not thinking about the impact this is going to have on a girl who is used to wearing it.
“If a girl wants to wear trousers, fine, they should be allowed to wear trousers, but you shouldn’t be discriminating against girls and making everyone wear trousers.
“They’re not equal because they’re all wearing trousers, that doesn’t bring equality. A girl should be able to wear a skirt to school.
“Girls have worn skirts since the history of education began.
“If she wanted to identify as a cat and wear whiskers and a tail they’d allow that to happen, but as a girl she’s not allowed to wear a skirt.
“If I’m not sending my child to school I’ll be fined.
“I firmly believe it’s impacting girls and it’s impacting girls’ education saying they can’t enter the school.
“Education should come first and it matters.
“I don’t care whether kids are turning up in skirts, kilts, skorts, shorts, they’re there for their education – educate them and make them feel included.
“I completely agree with rules and boundaries in schools with kids and I’m all for it but when it’s in relation to a policy that’s completely discriminatory, oppressive and sexist I’m not here for it.
“They are there to learn and be educated and that should come first.”
The Co-op Academies Trust has been approached for a comment.
