Wednesday, September 22 2004

Criminal attorney Israel Khan SC yesterday condemned the action of St Charles High School, which decided not to accept 12-year-old Kalifa Logan because of her dreadlocked hair. Khan said the school’s action is a blatant act of discrimination and a serious breach of the girl’s constitutional right. He said the school rule seems to be taking precedent over the constitution, which guarantees every citizen no discrimination on the grounds of race, religion or gender. The school refused to accept Logan because of her hair, claiming that it would disrupt discipline. The Ministry of Education has since transferred the girl to El Dorado Secondary School. Khan said it is a sad state of affairs in the education system when a school could discriminate against a child on the ground of her hair, especially when the child is a Rastafarian, and her hair, from all appearances, is neat.

Such action is tantamount to other schools demanding that all Africans must straighten and comb their hair as non-African. Khan said he had expected early and strong condemnation from the people who represent the interests of the student —  TUTTA, National Parents and Teachers Association, NPTA, IRO and even representatives from the Ministry of Education. He said although it is a private school, it cannot discriminate because it is performing a public function. He compared it to a hotel which cannot discriminate against a rasta who wants to spend a night. He also said that from a legal aspect of the Education Act, he could not see how hair could bring indiscipline and disrupt the school. He said, “I hope good sense will prevail and the Catholic Board will intervene and resolve the issue.”