School braids ban 'not justified'

A school’s decision to ban a pupil who refused to change his cornrow hairstyle was discriminatory and unlawful, the High Court ruled today. In a decision which could have far reaching implications for how schools set out their uniform policy, a judge found that St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in north London broke anti-discrimination legislation when it turned away a pupil on his first day because he was wearing cornrow braids in his hair. The school itself was described at an earlier hearing as 'a highly successful, hugely oversubscribed' voluntary aided Catholic school with a large Afro-Caribbean population that perform well academically.

In a statement released last night St Gregory’s board of governors said they would consider an appeal.

I think it is ridiculous that this boy gets refused just because he wears his hair a certain way. The girls are allowed to wear their hair this way, but not the boys. That just doesn’t make any sense.  The hairstyle isn’t provocative or anything, so there is no reason to refuse the boy the entrance to the classrooms. This is pure discrimination. Schools are supposed to give the best example, but by this, they only give the worst example for the students. Students will copy this behaviour, which will cause more problems in schools. 


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/school-braids-ban-not-justified-2298925.html
By Jerome Taylor