The Ministry of Education in Antigua says the law will be changed to accommodate children who wear locks in schools if it becomes necessary, based on a Cabinet agreement on Wednesday as it strongly condemned discrimination against Rastafarians and other students wearing the hairstyle.
In the interim, the Ministry of Education said it is working on a draft document on the issue.
In a statement issued after their meeting where all members were present, which came two days after a five-year-old child with locks was turned away from the New Bethel Seventh-day Adventist Academy when the new academic year started on Monday, the Cabinet stressed that the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda protects freedom of religion, freedom of association, and the freedom to hold a belief system that differs from that of the majority.
“The Cabinet noted that objection to natural hairstyles on the heads of students may be couched in language covering school deportment; however, the object, as the Cabinet sees it, is to enable discrimination against children from the Rastafarian community,” it charged.
“That debate about exclusion of Rastafarians from schools ended in Antigua and Barbuda nearly 50 years ago. Schools are not to discriminate against members of the Rastafarian community, or those who choose to wear their hair in the same manner as the Rastafarians practice. That is the policy as articulated by the Government.
“If it becomes necessary, the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda will be induced to change policy into law,” it added.
In a separate statement also issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Education and Sport said it was aware of the debate regarding hairstyles in schools and officials are finalizing a draft document on the subject matter.
It noted that while Section 49 of the Education Act, 2008 authorizes public schools to “introduce rules to govern the attire, conduct and discipline of students” as long these rules have been approved by the Director of Education, the policy governing the school rules pertaining to hair “should not discriminate against students based on the natural texture, length or color of their hair”.
The Ministry said what is important is that hair is clean, neat, well-groomed, and orderly presented, and not pose a health and/or safety risk to self or others or be a distraction to the general school population.
“It must be stated that the Ministry of Education and Sports condemns all forms of discrimination, especially when directed at students throughout Antigua and Barbuda,” it added.
The case that triggered the comments was based on the school’s policy against wearing locks.
Media reports said the child had already been accepted into the school but during orientation, the principal pulled her mother aside and informed her that the child could not attend school with locks. The mother was reportedly told the girl’s hair would have to be cut if she wanted to return.
CMC/
