North Carolina charter school to allow belted shorts, pants

RALEIGH, N.C. – A North Carolina charter school that required girls to wear skirts has revised the policy after a federal judge ruled it amounted to unconstitutional sex discrimination.

Charter Day School officials sent a letter Tuesday telling parents it would add belted shorts and pants in the appropriate school colour as alternatives to the girls’ current uniform options of skorts, jumpers, and skirts.

The new options take effect with the announcement.

The school in Leland said it wanted to avoid diversions as litigation over the clothing policy continues.

The kindergarten through eighth-grade school is about 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of Wilmington.

U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard ruled last Thursday that the school can’t enforce the skirts-only rule as part of its dress code that punishes violations with suspensions and even expulsion.