School bans pupil for his dreadlocks

Cape Town 160203- Neziswa Mare ( right) says her son Anathi Mare have been turned away from Mfuleni High school because of his long hair. Anathi is a Rasta. Picture Cindy Waxa.Reporter Ilse/Argus

Cape Town 160203- Neziswa Mare ( right) says her son Anathi Mare have been turned away from Mfuleni High school because of his long hair. Anathi is a Rasta. Picture Cindy Waxa.Reporter Ilse/Argus

Published Feb 5, 2016

Share

Cape Town - A Rastafarian pupil says his school’s governing body will not allow him to return to class until he has cut off his dreadlocks, while teachers have refused him textbooks and other resources.

Anathi Mare’s case is the second complaint of alleged discrimination against a Rastafarian pupil brought to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) over the past few weeks.

Last month, a Rastafarian family from Khayelitsha reported that their son, Azania Stofile, was not allowed to attend classes at Bulumko Secondary because he had dreadlocks. He missed several days of school before he was allowed to return to class.

On Thursday, Neziswa Mare told the Cape Argus that during a meeting earlier this week, the governing body of Mfuleni Secondary told her and her son Anathi, 17, that he will not be able to return to the school, which he has attended since Grade 8, until he cuts his hair.

Anathi, who became a Rastafarian in 2014, said he explained to teachers on more than one occasion that he could not cut his hair because of his religious beliefs. “They said there is no allowance for Rastas,” said Anathi.

He and his mother, supported by a group of Rastafarian friends, went to the department’s head office in Cape Town on Thursday to lodge a complaint against the school, and said they were referred to the district office in Parow.

The school’s principal, Malungisa Mlotywa, told the Cape Argus he would prefer to comment via the communications directorate of the WCED.

Jessica Shelver, spokeswoman for Education MEC Debbie Schäfer, said that in terms of the SA Schools Act, school governing bodies could decide on dress codes, including hairstyles, as part of their code of conduct.

She said an official had discussed the matter with the principal and he agreed to discuss the matter with the governing body and parent to resolve the situation swiftly.

The Department of Basic Education has published guidelines on drafting codes of conduct and dress codes that include the need to respect religious and cultural practice.

The WCED has also provided training to school governing bodies on their roles and responsibilities.

“Schools may ask parents to submit a letter from a religious teacher or organisation to substantiate a request to deviate from the dress code.”

Cape Argus

Related Topics: