STUDENTS and parents at a Dorset school have blasted a video in which it is claimed a teacher links the wearing of short skirts with sexual harassment.

A protest is currently under way at Lytchett Minster School after a one minute and 25 second clip, from the longer seven minute video, was circulated on social media.

The Echo understands the video was made by staff in response to the 'national rape day' hoax circulating on the social media platform TikTok ­­– an online prank reportedly started by a group giving tips on how to ‘get away with it’.

A police investigation is under way and schools have issued warnings to students.

A segment of the Lytchett Minster video has been widely criticised by parents and students at the 1,400-pupil comprehensive.

In this, one of the teachers says: "Please be very clear that everybody has a right to come to school without being sexually harassed, without having sexual comments made about them.

"And we've all got a responsibility to make sure this doesn't happen.

"One of the issues we have in school is where girls have to go upstairs with their planners behind their backsides as they walk up the stairs.

"There is only one reason that you have to put your planners on your backside, it is because your skirt is too short.

"OK, so just think girls, be sensible. We don't need to have skirts that short, you are in school and the school uniform says that skirts must be longer.

"So think about these comments. You might not like these comments – well, actually, when you are breaking school uniform and having your skirts far too short then that's going to tempt boys to say silly things isn't it?”

The school has issued an apology.

Headteacher Andrew Mead sent a message to parents via the school's social media channels.

In this he said: "The purpose of the video was to challenge the unacceptable language being used by some of the boys towards a number of girls in the school.

"The second half of the video was supposed to be about considering ways of keeping safe.

"Unfortunately, the issue of the length of girls' skirts was used as an example.

"This was clearly a mistake and caused a lot of upset.

"We accept that we should not have linked the two issues, as there is never any excuse for boys to make inappropriate comments to girls, and no-one ever deserves abuse on account of what they are wearing or what they do."