A petition started at a Wirral school to give girls the right to wear trousers has been slammed as "unacceptable behaviour" by the school's headteacher.
Wirral Grammar School for Girls currently has a uniform policy that only allows skirts to be worn by their pupils all year round.
But a campaign has been set up to change that with more than 2,500 people already signing a petition to allow pants to be worn.
The petition states: "Wirral Grammar School for Girls is the only school on the Wirral which doesn’t allow girls to wear trousers to school, we are aiming to change this with your help.
"Even if you wouldn’t wear trousers, supporting this means that people who would like to wear trousers would be able to do so!"
The strict rules are "not negotiable", and the uniform policy states: "The school strives to set high standards in all that it does and the school uniform is a very important part of the school's identity and image.
"The uniform policy is not negotiable with every child expected to wear the correct uniform as stated below on this page."
Commenting on the petition, one signator, Helen Jones said: "It’s been a very long time since trousers were perceived as an exclusively male item of clothing.
"Refusing to allow Wirral Girls to wear trousers (if they choose) is simply archaic, not in line with the 2010 equality act and does not challenge stereotypical assumptions, and gender discrimination.
"This kind of attitude may have been commonplace in the 1940s, but it has no place in 2021. It’s about time sexist attitudes, to clothes and otherwise, disappeared once and for all."
In a letter to parents, seen by the ECHO, headteacher, Elaine Cogan said the behaviour was "unacceptable" and that public action would not force the Board of Governors to make a decision immediately stating: "This is not how change takes place."
The letter said: "Dear Parents,
"A pupil of this school has started an online petition for a change in school uniform to include trousers.
"This pupil did not speak to me regarding a request to change the school uniform before she took this action. This is a great shame as if she had I would have told her that the uniform policy was already being discussed by the Board of Governors and these discussions would include myself and the new Headteacher if appointed next term.
"I have spoken to this pupil and her friends but it seems that they believe that public action will force the Board of Governors to make a decision immediately. This is not how change takes place.
"This behaviour is unacceptable particularly when there is no need. If the Board of Governors decide there is a call to change our uniform policy that would consult with parents of this school for their thoughts before any change was made.
"I would appreciate your support in this matter.
"Yours sincerely, Elaine Cogan"
Speaking to the ECHO Mrs Cogan said they had never had any complaints about the uniform and the issue was to be discussed at the next Board of Governors meeting and while she couldn't preempt an outcome said she didn't envision any problems.
She said: "This petition was started by a pupil who had not asked the school about a change in uniform.
"If she had I would have told her that the Board of Governors were discussing our uniform policy at their next meeting.
"The school has no problem with pupils' right to start a petition but at Wirral Grammar School for Girls we would have expected a discussion or letter before such a petition was started."
