Is it time for schools to change their school uniform policy and allow girls to wear pants as well as dresses?

One mum from Melbourne thinks so and her first-grader daughter has won the right to wear trousers after she was told she had to wear the girl’s standard uniform of dress and stockings.

When Asha Cariss told her mum, Simone, that she felt uncomfortable playing in her dress and stockings, the mother went to the school to ask if her daughter could wear pants instead.

The request was denied which made the determined mother to start an online petition for change to the girls school uniforms.

Ms Cariss told The Age,” I’ve raised my daughter to feel like she can do anything and then it comes to something as simple as going to school and feeling comfortable in her own skin, and she’s forced to wear a dress. ”

“I’d challenge people to find a workplace where women are required to wear dresses, it’s discrimination based on gender in schools and I think it needs to be changed.”

Over 7000 people signed the petition in support to the action.

The overwhelming number of supporters prompted the Catholic school to explain they had miscommunicated their no to Ms Cariss.

As a result, Asha is allowed to wear pants and her request for other girls at her school to wear the same is being reviewed by the school as well.

“I just want this to be changed for every little girl out there who wants to wear pants like half of their peers. It’s not about naming and shaming the school.”

We’d like to know what you think? Should girls have the option of wearing pants and/or shorts as part of their school uniform? Or should parents and students wear the uniform that the school sets out? Would you have signed the petition for change? We’d love to know your thoughts!