MOE Says Schools Can’t Refuse Children Over Hairstyle

Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca has weighed in on reports that at least three students were sent home from the Anglican Cathedral College because their hairstyle was deemed as unacceptable. As we reported, the students showed up to school on the first day with braids. The decision has sparked quite the public discourse. Some are of the view that students should adhere to every school rule, even if they don’t agree with the rule. Others are of the opinion that a hairstyle does not prevent a student from learning in the classroom. Well, today Minister Fonseca, in no uncertain terms, declared the school’s decision unlawful. He says it is improper to refuse a child entry because of their hairstyle.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“The Chief Education Officer immediately contacted the school, the principal, the administration, to resolve that issue. And as I have said over and over again, many times on the public record, the schools have the right to set certain rules and regulations and guidelines. But certainly, the length of your hair, the style of your hair is not one of them. So it is absolutely improper and in fact unlawful for any school to refuse a child entry into their school because of the style or length of their hair.”

 

Reporter

“In many case then, it seems that there’s a disconnect between these rule books in schools and the ministry’s policy and the law. How do you rectify that?”

 

Francis Fonseca

“Yeah, I mean, these are resolved through discussions, engagements. in the case of ACC, there’s a new administrator there, a new principal.  And I think that may have contributed to  some of the misunderstanding.  No judgment on her, I think she is a very good principal and wants to act in good faith. But, you know, sometimes we do have this conflict between the church and the state even though we are partners in education. Sometimes they want to impose their standards and values on students and we support some of that in terms of reasonable guidelines, but,  certainly as I’ve made very clear, in this particular case, they should understand what the rule is.”