Xvall
19th August 2006, 01:04
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Anti-racist policy backfires as black teen is kicked out of school for short haircut
The irate parents of a black teenager have spoken out after their son was suspended for looking like a member of the National Front.
In the latest example of political correctness gone mad, 13-year-old teenager Kain Roomes was sent home from St Marys school in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, last Wednesday for having his hair too short.
Furious mum Sophia Roomes was flabbergasted at the decision by the school. She said: I just couldnt believe it. Its just utterly ridiculous that a black child has been suspended for having short hair.
I think its outrageous. I mean, theres no way my son could look like a member of the National Front, she said.
A school rule about hair length was introduced a few months ago after National Front members became active at the school and encouraged white children to shave their hair short to show membership of the racist group. The school responded by banning very short hair and introducing a minimum number two haircut for all children, regardless of race.
But Roomes says that far from protecting black children, the rule is penalising them. She says that her husband shaves their sons head because he believes their son looks smarter and more presentable with his hair short.
AFROS
There are black people who have corn rows and Afros and that often gives a negative image. What does she want me to do? Does she want me to have my son in an Afro?
Im not saying they are being racist. Its just political correctness gone crazy. If he was a white child Id understand, but black people are not NF. They dont skin their heads and they are not NF. This is a white issue, its nothing to do with black people, she added.
Roomes is launching a petition to get an amendment to the rule, but understands that the schools headmistress Ms Benbow is in a difficult position.
I sympathise with her, shes lovely and I commend all the work shes done for the school but she needs to understand the way black people are and change her policy to take that into account, she said.
But changing the rule could be tricky for the headmistress, who could face a backlash from white parents saying that their children should also be allowed short hair.
Roomes said: She was very polite and said she was willing to work with me, but the simple fact is that my son has been excluded.
A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: The school has a presentation policy that applies to all pupils and relates to many aspects of pupils appearance. It has a requirement that haircuts should not be shorter than a number two. The school is in an area that is known to have National Front activity and for this reason it asks pupils not to have very short hair.
Published: 27 March 2006
Issue: 1211
http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=8820
Anti-racist policy backfires as black teen is kicked out of school for short haircut
The irate parents of a black teenager have spoken out after their son was suspended for looking like a member of the National Front.
In the latest example of political correctness gone mad, 13-year-old teenager Kain Roomes was sent home from St Marys school in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, last Wednesday for having his hair too short.
Furious mum Sophia Roomes was flabbergasted at the decision by the school. She said: I just couldnt believe it. Its just utterly ridiculous that a black child has been suspended for having short hair.
I think its outrageous. I mean, theres no way my son could look like a member of the National Front, she said.
A school rule about hair length was introduced a few months ago after National Front members became active at the school and encouraged white children to shave their hair short to show membership of the racist group. The school responded by banning very short hair and introducing a minimum number two haircut for all children, regardless of race.
But Roomes says that far from protecting black children, the rule is penalising them. She says that her husband shaves their sons head because he believes their son looks smarter and more presentable with his hair short.
AFROS
There are black people who have corn rows and Afros and that often gives a negative image. What does she want me to do? Does she want me to have my son in an Afro?
Im not saying they are being racist. Its just political correctness gone crazy. If he was a white child Id understand, but black people are not NF. They dont skin their heads and they are not NF. This is a white issue, its nothing to do with black people, she added.
Roomes is launching a petition to get an amendment to the rule, but understands that the schools headmistress Ms Benbow is in a difficult position.
I sympathise with her, shes lovely and I commend all the work shes done for the school but she needs to understand the way black people are and change her policy to take that into account, she said.
But changing the rule could be tricky for the headmistress, who could face a backlash from white parents saying that their children should also be allowed short hair.
Roomes said: She was very polite and said she was willing to work with me, but the simple fact is that my son has been excluded.
A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: The school has a presentation policy that applies to all pupils and relates to many aspects of pupils appearance. It has a requirement that haircuts should not be shorter than a number two. The school is in an area that is known to have National Front activity and for this reason it asks pupils not to have very short hair.
Published: 27 March 2006
Issue: 1211
http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=8820