Twelve-year-old Lemar-Shea Simpson went to Eastwood Academy, Leigh, last Monday sporting cornrows, but was immediately placed in isolation.Oh, boy...
Selina is claiming the school is unappreciative of her son’s culture.Wha...?
She said: “I couldn’t believe it, Lemar is dual-heritage and has afro hair. Anyone who has afro hair, or has seen Lemar’s will know he doesn’t have too many options in terms of style, and he definitely can’t just run a comb through it in the morning.
“He knew his hair was quite scruffy and looked a bit of a mess, all the other kids at school had pointed that out to him. But he was so happy with the cornrows, and as far as I am concerned he looked ten times smarter.
“He actually wanted to go to school on Monday. It is a very common haircut.”Yes, it denotes the child as coming from a very common family.
“And then I go on the school website, and their (sic) is a girl with the same hair cut, of course hers is longer, it looks like it probably has extensions in, surely that is just as bad?”Well, have you taken this up with the school, ot just rushed to whine in the local paper?
It's the latter, isn't it?
A spokesman for the school said: “The Academy’s uniform policy states that the following in respect to hairstyles: ‘Extremes of hairstyle are not permitted’ ...
‘With regard to the interpretation of these rules the Academy’s decision is final’.
“The Academy deems that the particular hairstyle, as worn by the male pupil in question, is ‘extreme’ and therefore sanctions were issued in line with the Academy’s policy.
“All reasonable efforts were made to contact the parent and explain the position but she has taken the decision not to send him to school.
"The parent was also offered the opportunity to write to the relevant Academy committee responsible for reviewing the uniform policy on an annual basis.
"To date, no correspondence has been received.”Heh!
Having looked at the picture I don't really see the school's problem. That said, rules is rules and all that. The solution would have been a trip to the barber, not running whinging about waaaycism to the local rag.
ReplyDeleteThese people do tend to fall foul of school rules mainly because of their own stupidity. However I do have a bit of a problem with schools having pointless and petty rules as well. If they are going to have rules about hairstyles then what is and is not permissible ought to be clearly defined. I mean what the effing hell is an extreme hairstyle? I'm pretty sure that the boy in the picture doesn't qualify, he looks perfectly presentable to me.
ReplyDeleteStonyground
"Having looked at the picture I don't really see the school's problem. That said, rules is rules and all that."
ReplyDeleteWell, quite. Better he learns to deal with them now.
"These people do tend to fall foul of school rules mainly because of their own stupidity. However I do have a bit of a problem with schools having pointless and petty rules as well."
But he's going to have to learn to deal with them, like roads and government forms, for preparation for grown up life.