These Teens Got in Serious Trouble Just For Wearing Their School Uniforms

Chances are, if you ever attended a school that required a uniform, you know the annoyance of a dress code and the hassle of breaking it. But were you ever punished for violating as aspect of the dress code that was totally beyond your control?

Some students at Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight in England are being hounded for skirts that don't fit the standards, though they're not even sold in other lengths. A handful of Cowes parents received text messages from the school asking them to provide their daughters with new uniforms that fit the school's code, but apparently, those skirts don't exist.

"We have completed a uniform check today and it has been noted that your child's kilt is too short," the text read. "Please can you ensure that if your child does not have a kilt that fits to the knee or below, that they were black trousers instead."

Cowes requires the hem of every plaid uniform skirt to fall to the knee or below in order to fit school guidelines. But the skirts aren't made that way, parents argued. "They only come in one length size, and I don't think it looks too short, it's just above her knee," an unnamed parent told Metro. "It's not fair that just because she's tall she gets in trouble for it."

It doesn't seem to be an invalid argument, just knowing the way skirt and dress sizing works. A skirt that falls to someone's ankle due to a slim body type may fall much higher on someone with fuller hips. When there's only so much fabric, there's not much that can be done to lengthen a skirt that's too short for one body type.

Some parents even complained they'd have to buy their child a size far too big in order for the skirt to actually reach their knee. Others said the largest size just wouldn't cut it. The school's response? It's okay for girls to wear pants, too.

A spokesperson for the school denied a stock problem with the skirt sizes. "It is not correct that the right lengths and sizes of skirt are not being sold. Girls are also allowed to wear trousers if they prefer," they said.

Some parents also complained their children were given detention for not having the appropriate skirts, even when it came down to family finances. The school spokesperson also denied handing out detentions to girls with improper skirts. Instead, they said detention had been given to students who rolled their skirts up to expose more skin.

Cowes also claimed to be helping parents with financial difficulties to fund new uniform pieces if needed.

Newsweek reached out to the school for further comment.