Cape Town - A Cape Town parent has accused his son’s southern suburbs school of bullying and racial insensitivity after he was given a warning letter for an “unacceptable” hairstyle.
According to the provincial Department of Education, the school is objecting to the child’s hair being cut with a step.
Ngqiqo Mahlutshana, father of 7-year-old Lebone Ramedupe, a Grade 1 pupil at Wynberg Boys Junior School, has been given until Monday to have his son’s hair cut or face “disciplinary action”.
The letter stated that the boy’s haircut “did not comply with the school’s code of conduct” and until it was changed, Lebone “would not be allowed to go out on to the playground during break”.
Mahlutshana told Weekend Argus he found the letter to be “bullying both to the child and parents” and also “very prescriptive”. “The tone tells one what to do and if not what will happen,” he said. “This makes me feel like this letter is entrenching racial divides.”
An emotional Mahlutshana recalled that when Lebone arrived home with the letter, he asked his father to “fight for me”.
Mahlutshana met the school principal on Friday for more than two hours and told Weekend Argus the school had conceded the letter “was pre-emptive as the parents had not received the school’s code of conduct which was still a work in progress”.
However, according to the school secretary there had not been a change in the school’s policies or code of conduct, but “there could have been a misinterpretation of the policy by the parents”.
Lebone Ramedupe, 7, with his father Ngqiqo Mahlutshana in the quad of Wynberg Boys Junior school. Picture: Supplied
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Jessica Shelver confirmed the meeting between the two parties and said: “The learner reportedly had a step cut into his hair which does not comply with the school’s code of conduct.” According to Shelver, the father said the haircut was part of his culture and was to discuss the matter further with the school’s governing body.
“SGBs determine dress codes as part of their codes of conduct, including hairstyles. It is important that all schools ensure that their codes of conduct represent the inclusive society in which we live and are in line with the values of our constitution. Discipline and authority is required at all schools. However, it is important that there is a healthy balance between school discipline and behaviour and individual rights,” added Shelver.
It’s the not the first time the issue of hairstyles has been the focus of media attention. Pupils at Pretoria High School for Girls protested in August last year when girls with Afros were told to brush their hair by teachers. San Souci in Newlands also saw protest action by pupils.
An unconnected drama at another of the country’s prestigious schools has also grabbed headlines. St John’s College has been forced to accept the resignation of a teacher for racism and face calls for the principal to step down following his handling of the case. On Friday, former and current St John’s pupils who go by the name #OpenStJohns said the headmaster and chairperson of the council had failed in their responsibility to lead and protect pupils at the Joburg school. “They must be held accountable for bringing disrepute to the college.”
They said the headmaster of the school, Paul Edey, and the chairperson of council, John Patricious, needed to step down.
The Gauteng Department of Education also criticised Edey’s handling of an alleged racial incident that involved one of the school’s teachers.
* Additional reporting by Sameer Naik, Shaun Smillie and ANA