Headteacher clamps down on fake tan

A headteacher in Lancashire has writtten to parents advising them to stop their daughters from slathering themselves in fake tan so that they no longer "come to school looking varying shades of orange."

Carol Robinson, the head of Baines School, a mixed comprehensive in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, wrote in her letter to mums and dads, "The current trend for fake/spray tans does little to enhance the appearance of our young ladies."

She claimed that fake tan went against the principles of the school, where staff strived to "promote natural beauty and contentment with one's own looks".

Her remarks have been met with cautious support with some of her more pale-skinned pupils at the school, which educates 1,070 children aged between 11 and 18.

Alison Taylor, a 17-year-old sixth former, said: "I agree fake tan should be banned. I think it looks a lot nicer to be natural than bright orange."

Sarah Clark, 17, added: "Fake tan can be OK, but some people go a bit over-the-top and then I think it looks quite tacky."

One parent said she had been appalled by the sight of girls walking up to the school gates with bright orange legs.

"I think the school is right to clamp down and try to drive up standards because there are other issues like the length of skirts the girls wear which are miles too short and the lads having their shirts all hanging out," she said.

But Dr John Kellett, a Blackpool-based consultant dermatologist, said it was better for pupils to use fake tan than go on sunbeds.

He said: "Fake tan doesn't do any harm at all to health. If the alternative is for young girls to go on the sunbed then it is preferable."

What do you think? If girls (and women, and men) want to look like they've been Tango'd should they have the right to paint themselves whatever shade of orange they see fit? Is this headteacher protecting her female pupils from quite frankly looking stupid (and is there any way of banning the wearing of shorts with high heels in all public places? It would achieve the same goal, after all) or is she a beauty-fascist who should let them break out the bottle, rather than risk skin cancer on a sun bed? Has Britain's desire for a fake tan - from a bottle or a bed - got a little out of hand? And why can't orange people see what crazy colour they are!?