A recent failed proposal to ban kilts at Catholic schools in Durham Region got many wondering if girls have become a little too revealing with the lengths of the patterned skirts, but according to East York trustee Angela Kennedy, it’s just a way of showing independence.

“No parents have contacted me regarding this issue. Parents live with their teenagers every day and they know that it’s a time for testing and challenging what is right,” Kennedy said.

But she also acknowledged that at least one local school has taken pre-emptive action.

“Students know what short is. One school in my ward has changed the uniform for girls to have only pants and no kilts,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said it’s important that students know what a reasonable and modest skirt length is, and it’s crucial that it adhere to Catholic morals and values.

“I think (that having the uniform changed) allows for more of a focus on education and not on length of skirts,” Kennedy said. “Kilt length is something that students use to exert their control and independence.”