You can’t raise “white-collar” students who go to school in shorts: Kyiv lyceum director on the September 2 scandal
4 October 15:10
EXCLUSIVE
For the first time, the principal of Lyceum #109, Vitalia Polyakova, commented on her position and decision regarding the requirements for students’ appearance. She spoke about this in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian".
“We all want our children to be successful, to be white-collar workers. And if they are not accustomed to these collars from childhood, they will never have collars,” she explained.
According to her, the world’s classical universities have a strict dress code, and even there they require at least long pants.
“At least jeans, long ones, so that everything is covered,” Polyakova added.
Vitalia Polyakova is the director of Taras Shevchenko Lyceum #109 in Kyiv, located in the Pechersk district of the capital. She is also a PhD in Psychology (2018), a senior researcher at the Laboratory of Psychodiagnostics and Scientific and Psychological Information of the H.S. Kostiuk Institute of Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine.
on September 2, 2025, Polyakova found herself at the center of a public outcry when she did not allow students to attend class because they were wearing shorts. This incident became a topic of discussion in the media and among the parent community.
Vitaliya Polyakova is currently on vacation and is expected to return to work after providing appropriate explanations in accordance with the law.
