Japanese Schools' Underwear Rule Sparks Fear

In this edition of #Everyone's Questions, the topic "Underwear Color... Disturbing 'School Rules'" will be addressed with two main points:

- Why is "underwear color" in school rules?

- How to rectify "black school rules" that still exist?

Takahiro Ono, a commentator from Nippon TV, said, "Many children and grandchildren stepped into school life this April, and it seems there are parents and children who are puzzled by the school rules written in the student handbook, wondering, 'Isn't this what you call a ‘black school rule’?' Have you ever questioned the school rules?"

Mirei Kiritani, a caster, mentioned, "There was a rule that if your hair is longer than your shoulders, you must tie it up, which was so troublesome that I ended up cutting it."

Nana Suzue, a news anchor, recalled, "There were regular hair inspections at my school, and I was always nervous about them."

Takahiro Ono, a commentator, mentioned, "A mother has posted on Nippon TV's information site. This spring, her child entered a junior high school in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki. She was surprised when she read the explanatory materials sent before the entrance."

The mother expressed, "'Items worn under shirts or sailor suits should be solid colors: white, black, navy, gray, or beige,' it was written, with a black underline beneath the color. Despite it being stated that 'it should not be visible under the school or sailor suits,' the specification of colors made me think it might be sexual harassment. There was a strong feeling that 'inspection' would be conducted to check these."

Ono further explained, "This mother felt a strong fear. What do you think of the wording of this school rule?"

Kiritani responded, "It's not visible, so why do they need to specify it to this extent?"

The mother added, "Not only is the color of the underwear specified, but I have also heard that a child's underwear was checked at school, which makes me anxious that it might be 'inspected.'"

Ono highlighted, "We asked Professor Yoshitomi Suefumi from the College of Humanities and Sciences at Nihon University about the issues with school rules that dictate the color of underwear."

Professor Suefumi noted, "It feels quite old-fashioned to me. It seems that schools are not aware of the risks."

"According to the guidelines for student guidance from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, it is written to realize the rights and dignity of children themselves. Naturally, school rules that infringe on children's rights should be abolished immediately."

Suzue remarked, "There are students who feel embarrassed and hurt, and it's problematic that their intentions are not respected. What is the purpose of this school rule?"

Ono concluded, "Professor Suefumi clearly states that rules specifying the color of underwear infringe on children's human rights and dignity."

Keisuke Mori, another news anchor, pondered, "These rules are based on old values, and it seems they have existed for a long time. I wonder why teachers haven't thought, 'Maybe we should stop this?' What was the school's awareness?"

The Miyakonojo City Board of Education was interviewed about the school that specifies the color of underwear. "The current color specification comes from a perspective of not wanting flashy items," they explained. "The term 'underwear' here refers to undergarments worn under shirts, not pants or bras. It is strictly about undergarments," they clarified.

Kokoro Kutsukake, another news anchor, expressed, "I can't quite accept it... Whether it's undergarments or underwear, it's strange to have that decided for you."

Ono noted, "Even if it's about undergarments, specifying the color of something not visible remains unchanged. However, after discussions between students and teachers about its necessity for the new school year, the specification of underwear color was abolished this spring."

"It has been confirmed that currently, there are no schools in Miyakonojo City conducting inspections of undergarment colors," they added.

Suzue shared, "I have interviewed schools with similar underwear specifications before. Teachers also expressed confusion about when the rule was established and how to change it, and they have been left unaddressed. It seems difficult to change something that doesn't fit the times."

Ono suggested, "We will think about how to correct these 'black school

rules.' According to a nationwide survey by Studyplus Trend Research Institute, one in four middle school students answered that they have specifications like underwear color, and one in four high school students stated that they are required to submit a 'natural hair certificate.'"

"This certificate is to prove that students with naturally curly hair have not permed it. There are also other questionable rules like requiring permission for parasols, banning sunscreen, prohibiting studying alone with the opposite sex, and banning hearts at cultural festivals."

Mori reflected, "In our generation, impure heterosexual interactions were prohibited under the mysterious phrase 'disturbance of public morals,' and it seems that feeling is still being dragged along."

Ono discussed gender differences in school rules: "There are quite a few rules like 'boys should be like this, girls should be like this.'"

"According to the Studyplus Trend Research Institute, boys are prohibited from tying their hair, while girls must have bangs. Boys are not allowed to wear tights or Heattech, and girls are not allowed to wear neckties. However, there is now some movement to revise these strange school rules."

Professor Suefumi emphasized, "It's important that students and parents work with schools to set school rules themselves. Imposing unreasonable rules is moral harassment. The freedom of human beings should be minimally and rationally restricted."

Suzue mentioned, "I once covered a school where students raised their voices and took the initiative to create school rules. Those students said, 'Because we made the rules ourselves, we feel more inclined to follow them.'"

Ono concluded, "The Children's Basic Law also emphasizes the importance of stakeholders expressing their opinions. It's crucial to revise inappropriate school rules to match the times."

Source: 日テレNEWS