Still no classes for child, 8, over hairstyle
A Mdantsane father has started an online petition to force Kings College to allow his eight-year- old daughter back in class after she was denied entry to the schoolgrounds following his refusal to change her hairstyle.
Siseko Siwisa, a small business owner, said his daughter was denied entry to her classes after he failed to sign a new school code that does not allow pupils to have dreadlocks.
“I am asking people to sign as this is against the law.
“The department of education lied on live radio on Wednesday that they had instructed the school to take my child back but they did not do so because my child is still sitting at home,” Siwisa said on Monday.
Last week, education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani told the Dispatch that they had sent officials to the school and were trying to “amicably resolve” the impasse. At the time of writing, Pulumani and his colleague Malibongwe Mtima’s phones rang unanswered and neither replied to the messages sent to them.
The Grade 3 pupil has not attended school since last week.
“The owner of the school does not want to speak to me.
“I spoke to the principal and engaged him on this matter and he just says he gets instructions from his bosses and his hands are tied and there is nothing he can do, as much as he sees that the code of conduct is against black people.”
Siwisa said he was prepared to go to court over the matter.
“The education [department] has failed us. We will take a different route. We will take it to a court of law.
“All I want is for my child to go back to class so long while we continue discussing this.
“If the school is found to be correct, then my child can be taken out of school, but if she is within her rights according to the constitution, then she has to continue studying.”
EFF members marched to the school on Monday morning.
EFF branch head Xolile Sitsili said they would “close the school if the girl is not brought back to class”.
“It is against the law to deny the child education because of her natural hair. These are not extensions, it’s her own hair.
“Their code of conduct is against the constitution. They can’t just change it this year.”
Sitsili said the school management had told party members that the matter was with the department of education.
“They said they gave the new code of conduct to the department of education and are waiting for the department to give them instructions to reverse it.
“The management just wanted to call the police on us. They are arrogant and did not even want to talk to us,” he said.
The school management refused to comment to the Dispatch last week...
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