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Via The Daily Mail

A school’s decision to bar a pupil because of his hairstyle has come under challenge in a High Court test case.

The boy, G, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was refused entry to St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in Kenton, Harrow, north London, at the age of 12 because he wears his hair in ‘cornrows’.

The popular West African style of braiding hair along the scalp is prohibited under the strict uniform and hair policy at St Gregory’s.

David Wolfe QC, appearing for the family, said G had always worn his hair in cornrows, which reached to the top of his collar, as part of a family tradition.

A statement from G’s mother said the braids were ‘of great importance to his cultural and racial identity’.

She said her son had been looking forward to his first day at secondary school and being rejected minutes after arriving ‘was a major blow to his self-esteem’.

Mr Wolfe argued the braids ban was in breach of race and sex discrimination laws. Girls at the school are allowed to wear cornrows. Continue Reading….

The school had expressed concern that it was serving an area where there was gun and knife crime, much of it gang related.

Hairstyles could be ‘badges’ of gang identity, it said. The school said it did not regard cornrows as specifically gang-linked, but allowing them in school would make it more difficult to keep out other styles, including the skinhead cut popular with right-wing extremists.

Mr Wolfe submitted the school’s argument was legally flawed and the braids ban amounted to ‘an unlawful and disproportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim’.

So braiding your hair (if you’re a young black male) is a sign that you’re apart of a gang now??? Absolute rubbish! I often wonder if foolishness like this is said on purpose just to wind up the black community.

I think the boy and his mother stand a good chance of winning this case because the “corn-rows are not permitted” rule isn’t actually stated in the school’s official handbook. His parents should have been officially notified long before the school term was due to start. And you can also successfully argue that the school is also in breach of race and sex discrimination laws because female pupils are free to braid their hair.

David Wolfe QC, appearing for the family, said G had always worn his hair in cornrows, which reached to the top of his collar, as part of a family tradition.

This is the first time I’ve come across anyone from the African-Caribbean community say that “corn-rows” is a part of a family tradition……………..

Personally I prefer for boys over the age of 10 years old to wear a low cut. But I wish the family the best of luck and will be keeping a close eye on this case.