Not allowing cornrows: racial discrimination?

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by BBC.CO.UK

St Gregory's college cornrows rule discriminated

A London school's ban of the cornrows hairstyle resulted in "unlawful, indirect racial discrimination", the High Court has ruled.

Mr Justice Collins said the ban by St Gregory's Catholic Science College in Harrow was not unlawful in itself, but should have taken into account individual pupils' family traditions.

A 13-year-old boy, "SG", was refused a place because of the hairstyle.

The school said it was "naturally disappointed" and may try to appeal.

"St Gregory's is proud of its rich cultural and ethnic diversity and is run on the belief that everyone at the school is equal and made in the image of God," it said in a statement.

SG's African-Caribbean family claimed the style was of importance to his cultural identity.

He was forced to attend another school. He does not wish to return to St Gregory's despite the outcome of the case.

In a statement read out to the High Court at an earlier hearing, SG said: "When I saw my idol, David Beckham, cornrow his hair, it showed me that he appreciated African hair styling, and that we are all the same underneath it all."

Mr Justice Collins, sitting in London, ruled that the hair policy was not unlawful in itself, "but if it is applied without any possibility of exception" such as in the case of SG, "then it is unlawful".

Source: BBC News - St Gregory's college cornrows rule discriminated

What's the verdict TBOT Think Tank?

[jmattbassplaya]

Considering white people can have them too it doesn't seem racist to me at all. In fact, many (if not most) private schools have certain rules in regards to hair. A few places around here don't allow guys to have hair touching/covering their ears, and if a girl's hair exceeds a certain length it must be worn in a bun or ponytail.

That said, if someone's hair is important to their culture/religious beliefs then I say let them be, or at least help them find another school that is more lenient on their hair policy.

[Munjibunga]

Apparently the rule is based on the belief that god does not wear his hair in cornrows.

[JAUQO III-X]

Maybe the US should take note.

[powderfinger]

It's "racist" to outlaw sagging your pants too.... although plenty of stupid white people sag as well.

[jmattbassplaya]

You might want to reword that statement...

[BartmanPDX]

Except for workplace safety/health issues, I've never understood the rationale behind regulating hairstyles. I get the purpose of clothing rules (nothing too revealing), and can even understand the purpose of school uniforms, but I would really chafe at the notion that a school could tell me how I could wear my hair. Seems like unnecessary meddling to me.

Without seeing the policy and how it's worded, I can't say if it's racist. But if white guys can wear their hair long without violating the policy, then it might well be. If long hair and/or ponytails on guys are prohibited under the policy, then it's not racist IMO. Just stupid.

[tastybasslines]

Next up, shaved heads ='s KKK member, courtesy of our over sensitive society.

[macaroni tony]

I don't see this as racist at all...and I don't see a problem with a private school regulating hairstyle. I understand them wanting to keep the guys' hair short; you always have the option of going to another school, after all.

Question: Can you keep your hair long, but just not in cornrows? If that's the case, then it seems they may be actually trying to keep a certain culture out. If so, then yeah, that seems a little racist to me

[TheSuzie]

Originally Posted by powderfinger

It's "racist" to outlaw sagging your pants too.... although plenty of stupid white people sag as well.

From your quotes and context I think you probably meant that tongue in cheek.

Sagging pants have been a cultural tradition for how long? My father is of Russian Jewish descent and well into his 80s. His pants have sagged pretty extremely all his life. Maybe we should be saying that outlawing sagging pants is discrimination against Jews of Russian descent?

Cornrows OTOH are a tradition that goes back thousands of years in Africa. As long as any hairstyle is managed in such a way that it is clean, not posing some sort of physical danger and not a distraction to learning, it is OK in my book.

S

[spade2you]

I went to a high school with a uniform code and stuff. They told me to cut my hair because it was too long. Now I have no hair. Life ain't fair. Deal with it.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

I don't see this as racist at all...and I don't see a problem with a private school regulating hairstyle. I understand them wanting to keep the guys' hair short; you always have the option of going to another school, after all.

Question: Can you keep your hair long, but just not in cornrows? If that's the case, then it seems they may be actually trying to keep a certain culture out. If so, then yeah, that seems a little racist to me

Yep.

[macaroni tony]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Yep.

Holy cow...I had a friendly conversation with powderfinger via PM, another one with pacman after he closed one of my threads, and now jmatt agrees with me?!?!?!

Armageddon must be tomorrow

[TheSuzie]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

I don't see this as racist at all...and I don't see a problem with a private school regulating hairstyle. I understand them wanting to keep the guys' hair short; you always have the option of going to another school, after all.

Question: Can you keep your hair long, but just not in cornrows? If that's the case, then it seems they may be actually trying to keep a certain culture out. If so, then yeah, that seems a little racist to me

This begs the question - What about schools that have girls and boys? Should girls be allowed to have long hair while boys are forced to keep their hair short? I am old enough to remember when girls could not wear pants in public schools and they measured both girls hemlines and boys hair with a ruler.

S

[Gopherbassist]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Apparently the rule is based on the belief that god does not wear his hair in cornrows.

Some people actually seem to believe something like this. My pastor's sister tried to tell me it was sinful to walk into a church with plaits in my hair once.

[LiquidMidnight]

While the question of whether or not the policy is intentionally supposed to be discriminatory is difficult to surmise, it most probably does disparately discriminate against Blacks.

[macaroni tony]

Originally Posted by TheSuzie

This begs the question - What about schools that have girls and boys? Should girls be allowed to have long hair while boys are forced to keep their hair short? I am old enough to remember when girls could not wear pants in public schools and they measured both girls hemlines and boys hair with a ruler.

S

Were it a private school, I would not have a problem with this. I'm sure there are some where this is the case - BYU comes to mind. Matter of fact, I think the men have to shave and keep their hair cut at BYU.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

Holy cow...I had a friendly conversation with powderfinger via PM, another one with pacman after he closed one of my threads, and now jmatt agrees with me?!?!?!

Armageddon must be tomorrow

Let's just say that big investment that will pay off in a few years, I'm not gonna make it now.






FWIW, I pretty much agree with your post. Bottom line - it's a private school, and they have the right to regulate appearances if they wish to do so. It isn't racist, anyone with HAIR can have cornrows - for example:

[macaroni tony]

mmmm....

[Gard]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

mmmm....

...case: closed.