I noticed this except same thing happening in several places at the moment. I read a story about a bus driver, and a couple of other employees using the exact same workaround. Pretty funny if this becomes a viral thing around the world (and maybe establishing skirts for men as acceptable fashion as a side effect)
What ever happened to common sense and having allowances for variations in dress codes between summer and winter.
So let me get this straight, the boys aren't allowed to wear shorts but skirts are okay, except for when their hairy legs are showing? Um, doesn't that also happen when they wear shorts? Stupid people. Let them wear shorts, skirts, or whatever. I think that the boys should show up to school wearing just their underwear. Also the girls should get the pants/shorts option too.
I suspect the 'hairy legs' thing was what we used to call a joke. The kids did a great job, a simple, peaceful, non disruptive but very effective protest that made a clear point and made the school look silly.
Looks like common sense has prevailed (or more likely bad publicity) and a new dress code is set to come in next year and shorts will be permitted. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-40383290 It doesn't say if girls will be allowed the option of shorts however.
Back in my day, boys at my school had to wear shorts summer and winter until we were in the 3rd form (13-14). Girls could wear trousers to stop perves looking up their skirts when they crossed the footbridge over a main road.
Girls already have the option to wear pants, and presumably (hopefully) will get the option of wearing shorts as well when the boys do, otherwise they might have another protest on their hands. http://www.iscaexeter.co.uk/useful-information/uniform-and-equipment Seems that all the kids are required to wear plain black shorts for P.E., so I don't see why they couldn't have let the boys wear a separate pair of black shorts for class when it's hot. Whatever, it's been resolved for good now. Anyway, officer thinking on the part of the kids doing the protest. Shows initiative.
I wonder if that was what happened in Season 1 of TNG. Shorts weren't a part of Starfleet's uniform so some guys wore skirts in protest.