It happened again, this time in Hanover: The high school of the Kämmer International Bilingual School forbade its students to come in a sloppy look - and obviously caused a lot of excitement.
Anyone who wears leggings or sweatpants in class must face a penalty, the "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung" reported on Saturday. The headmistress informed the parents in an email about the ban - and about possible sanctions such as "cleaning the school playground, wiping tables in the cafeteria or similar".
Statement "for the current occasion"
Because from the point of view of the school management, jogging outfits or leggings are "not appropriate clothing" for the class.
The school has now published a statement "on current occasions": "We are aware that our efforts to live these dress codes lead to different reactions," it says.
The school apparently wants to stay with the ban, but "on the question of implementation" she "will talk to the parents' representatives again, also to avoid irritation in the future".
The topic has been polarizing for years
The school did not reveal how parents and pupils reacted. One does not comment on the ban, it said from the secretariat with reference to the statement. But the topic has been polarizing and irritating in the republic for years - after all, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld said: "If you wear sweatpants, you have lost control of your life."
In March, for example, a secondary school in Rottenburg in Baden-Württemberg made a similar decision. "We dress appropriately at school. Our school clothes are different from our casual clothes," the new school regulations said. In addition to jogging pants, chewing gum, energy drinks and potato chips were also prohibited.
In April a school in North Rhine-Westphalia followed suit. According to the director, base caps are also taboo in the classroom there. There are three warnings free for violations - the fourth time the students are sent home to move.
"Hands off the sweatpants," said SPIEGEL columnist Margarete Stokowski. And of course polarized again. The column is hereby recommended for resubmission. Because the next school is sure to follow.