Don’t have charity shave in term time, pupil told

Youngsters at a Maidstone school have reportedly been put in isolation after shaving their heads for charity.

An online petition to reverse the decision has been signed by hundreds of people after a Year 10 pupil was punished for the stunt, which is used as a fundraiser by Macmillan.

Brave the Shave, as it is known, is also designed to show solidarity with those facing hair loss due to cancer treatments.

But according to Maplesden Noakes School’s uniform and appearance policy, a shaved head is classed as an “extreme hairstyle” and not permitted.

The Kent Messenger understands at least one other pupil has been taken out of classes until his hair grows back, while 15-year-old Raif Valery has been told the same will happen to him if he goes ahead with his sponsored shave on April 10.

So far the Year 11 pupil has raised £185, inspired by his aunt and grandmother who suffered from the disease.

But the school has reportedly told him to move the event to the start of the Easter holidays, or risk being put in isolation himself.

Outraged mum Abigail Phillips, 46, a midwife at Darent Valley Hospital, said: “He has long, curly hair so it is a big deal to him to shave it off and not something he’s doing for fashion. I think it’s wrong to make an example of him when he’s trying to help a charity off his own initiative and the school should be supporting him. It’s all above board, and he’s raising the money through the correct channels.

“He can change the date but even if he does it on April 1, as he’s been told, there’s no saying it will have grown back in time. Missing class in the run up to his GCSEs could affect his grades.” It is not the first time Miss Phillips of Sutton Valence, has had problems. In the past her son was removed from class for breaching the uniform policy, by wearing black trousers instead of midgrey ones. She said: “Obviously I agree they have to wear uni- forms, but it is bordering on the ridiculous. These policies seem to be more about beating them into submission than anything else.”

The school in Buckland Road said it was an internal matter and it would not be appropriate to comment.