Court hears recording of PTA executive member supporting no-locked hair policy

THE SUPREME Court yesterday heard an audio recording, purportedly of an executive member of the parent-teacher association (PTA) of the Kensington Primary School, siding with the then principal in support of the St Catherine-based institution’s no-dreadlocks policy.

“You will have to accept that because it is the policy of the school board (that) the ministry cannot overrule,” the PTA executive said.

The principal is then heard defending the policy. “It is something that we took on because the classrooms are hot. We have had situations where we had to call ‘just wash their hair’, or to remove twists,” the principal said.

But Sherine Virgo, mother of a then five-year-old child who was barred from entering the institution because of her locked hairstyle and who is now the subject of a constitutional claim, was not satisfied with that explanation.

“And again, that is discrimination if you are saying that my daughter’s hair is going to be stink and licey versus a next person who has natural hair, you understand,” she said in the recording.

Later in the conversation, the PTA executive member is heard saying that the offer made to the young student could be rescinded.

She was also heard saying that the decision by the school was non-negotiable.

“We have already decided,” the PTA executive said.

GUARANTEED RIGHTS

Virgo last year filed a claim asserting that the school’s actions against her daughter breached several of her rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Meanwhile, attorney-at-law Carla Thomas, from the Attorney General’s Chambers, began making submissions as day three of the constitutional hearing in relation to the child got under way in the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston.

Based on the affidavit filed by the current school principal, Christine Hamilton, which indicated that the rule did not apply to students who have locks for religious reasons, Thomas asserted that it could be said that the child’s rights had been infringed.

The attorney also asserted that there was no school rule or Ministry of Education rule that would prevent the child from attending school with her hair locked. Based on that, the attorney said that the claim brought by Virgo should be dismissed because its foundation is false.

The hearing came to an abrupt adjournment yesterday afternoon following reports that a section of the Supreme Court building had caught afire.

The Gleaner understands that lightning struck an air-conditioning unit located on the roof, starting a small fire. It was extinguished by a member of the court’s maintenance team. Firefighters were eventually called to the scene as a precaution.

The hearing will continue today.