A HEREFORD school has been criticised for "victim blaming" after a morning assembly featured the themes of the girls' new longer skirts and ways to keep pupils safe from sexual harassment.

Parents have reacted with outrage to comments made by a deputy headteacher during a school assembly at the Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School in Hereford on Wednesday morning.

He spoke about a new school uniform which includes two different styles of skirts with the BHBS logo, and also about current safeguarding issues such as cyber safety and sexual harassment.

But many parents believed there was a link between the two. 

One parent wrote to the school and said: "During the assembly the subject of the new school skirt was addressed. Neither I nor my daughter have any issues with the new school skirt that must be worn.

"However, my daughter and her peers were shocked to be told that the longer skirt was aimed at keeping the girls safe from sexual harassment.

"I am also quite stunned that this was deemed acceptable. The endorsement of the view that in the 21st century women and girls have to protect themselves from sexual harassment, rather than harassment being totally unacceptable and to be called out with zero tolerance beggars belief."

She said that victim blaming is damaging and added: "Promoting the idea that sexual harassment can be the fault of the victim has a negative impact on the young people who should have trust in the school.

"Any victim of any kind of abuse should be confident in talking to a teacher. The message of this assembly undermines that."

There have also been numerous comments on Facebook and Twitter expressing their disgust at the suggestion of victim blaming. 

The parent added: "The idea that the way girls are dressed is an invitation to be sexually harassed is wrong and coming from a member of the senior leadership team even more disturbing."

But the school has said there were two separate issues discussed in assembly - school uniform and cyber safety.

Headteacher Martin Henton said: “Following feedback today from some parents/carers, I would like to explain that there was no intended association in the assemblies between the introduction of new skirts and the school's statutory responsibility to update students on current safeguarding issues such as cyber safety and sexual harassment. We apologise if the reason for the assembly was not clear.

"We always listen to and welcome views from both students and parents/carers and will clarify the information to students so that they all have a full understanding of the context of this week's assemblies. If there are concerns relating to any aspect of our school, please always contact us in the first instance so that we can work together in resolving issues directly.”