A Cape Town mom is at her wits’ end after her daughter, living with albinism, was kicked out of the classroom because of her hair colour.
She was called into Fezeka High School in Gugulethu on Tuesday to address the situation.
The mom explained that the 14-year-old didn’t want to go to school alone on Monday, fearing being taunted by the teachers.
“My child is extremely unhappy at school, she started there from Grade 6 and now she is in Grade 9.
“She told me on Monday that the teacher said all the learners must take off braids which are not black.
“Her natural colour is blonde or gold, and so she uses blonde fibre. When she went to school, she asked me to accompany her because she knew the teachers would question the colour of her braids.”
She said she was shocked because the teachers could see that she has blonde hair and she had been in that school for more than a year.
“She wasn’t going to use another colour when this one matches her.
“I went into the school, and a teacher said, ‘take the braids off’. Since she didn’t address me, I decided not to explain why she used that colour.
“An albino can’t use a brown or black, they would clash. On Tuesday, I was summoned to the school, after they barred my child from going into her classroom because she had the blonde braids.
“I asked if he couldn’t see her natural hair colour. He then spoke about the school code of conduct. I went to the school and met with the principal, my daughter was sitting with him.
“He said he could see that their hair colour matched her eyebrows. And that he would speak to the teachers and other children to not dye or get braids like my daughter’s.”
The Gugulethu mom said she was given options of what she could do with her daughter’s hair.
“They said she should dye her hair brown or black, I told them I couldn’t do that because her hair will still be gold when the colour fades.
“Another teacher suggested that she cut her hair. I said the roots will be brown but as it grows back it will turn blonde. I asked why my child has to cut her hair and the others won’t.”
She expressed concern that her daughter is feeling suicidal due to the discrimination related to her hair colour.
“My daughter was so hurt that she said she’d rather die or drop out of school than bear this pain.
“I’ve always told my child that she must fight back when people talk about her albinism because I’m not always going to be around.
“I didn’t ask for my child to be born with blonde hair.”
Councillor Thembinkosi Mjuza said after hearing about this, he visited Fezeka High School.
“What I gathered on Thursday was that this was a she/he said thing.
“We don’t do as we please in these institutions, we are guided by policies. And if this is about the policies we need to interrogate that.
“The issue of hair was a national problem which we had just dealt with. We will hold more meetings until this is resolved.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the child has returned to school.
“The meeting with the principal and staff took place as planned. The district has initiated an investigation into the matter. Further engagements have been planned.
“A review of the school code of conduct is also under way. The learner has received counselling. This matter is ongoing and receiving the necessary attention.”