School’s dreadlocks ban overturned by court
SCHOOLS may no longer ban pupils from having dreadlocks, after a Rastafarian boy had his hair ban overturned.
On his first day of school last September, Chikayzea Flanders, 12, was put into isolation and told that his dreadlocked hair did not comply with the school’s uniform and appearance policy. He was told that he could only return to lessons if he cut off his locks.
His lawyers, funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), argued that his dreadlocks were a fundamental tenet of his Rastafarian beliefs and therefore should be exempt from the policy.
Fulham Boys School, a Church of England free school in west London, has now backed down following legal action by the Flanders family and said the boy can return to school.
The school was ordered by the county court to pay Chikayzea and Tuesday Flanders, his mother, a settlement and cover their litigation costs.
Chikayzea, who attends a nearby school, is now welcome to return to Fulham Boys School, should he wish to, provided that his dreadlocks are tied up so that they do not touch the top of his collar, or covered with a cloth of colour to be agreed by the school.
While the case will not formally set a legal precedent, the commission believes it may discourage other schools from similar discriminatory policies.
David Isaac, chairman at the EHRC, said: “We funded this case because no child should be prevented from attending their chosen school because of inflexible uniform policies that discriminate against children on the basis of their race or religious beliefs.”
He added: “At the heart of this issue is a young boy who is entitled to express his religious beliefs and access an education. We are pleased that the school has acknowledged its failings in this instance and has agreed to revise its policies.
The school has been told by its governors’ complaints resolution committee to review its uniform policy to ensure it complies with legislation, and also to provide staff with equality and diversity training. It said it will also review its complaints policy.
Ms Flanders said: “As parents, we place our trust in schools and teachers to help mould our children’s lives through education, but that should never place restrictions on their identity or their ability to express their religious beliefs.”
Alun Ebenezer, headmaster at the school, said: “We continue to rigorously enforce our uniform policy, which is on our website.”
He told The Daily Telegraph: “We are trying to do things differently, trying to get a high standard. The reason why we have the strict uniform policy is because on the one hand there are 20 per cent of boys who come from some of the most affluent areas of the city.
“They are rubbing shoulders with boys who haven’t got 2p to rub together. When you come to the school, you don’t know which is which.”