By OBAKENG MAJE

More than 10 female learners at Seabo Secondary School in Kokomeng village, near Taung are up in arms after the school principal, Lerato Lamola, and her deputy, Maria Mocumi ordered them to ‘undo’ their hairstyles or leave the school premises.

The incident over hairstyles took place last week Thursday. One of the aggrieved learners, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal said: “We feel wrongly excluded over our hair. We were ordered to remove hairstyles like retro-chic looks, twin buns, and natural hair braids without using hairpieces, top knots, and boho braids.

“The principal and her deputy alleged that these kinds of hairdos are not allowed in the school. We think the school system has a problem with afro-textured hair. However, we are going to stand up against this wrongfully misplaced mentality. We now fear that this could be used against us at the end of the year.”

Another learner said, the hairstyles they have done are more effective and safe time, so teachers should stop stigmatising their hair. She further said those hairstyles are a necessary protective method for the maintenance and upkeep of afro hair.

“We continue to be penalised, often in the harshest possible ways for having afro hair. However, we say enough is enough against this discrimination. Even though we know that, this could be used against us at the end of the year, we will never be gagged for speaking the truth,” she said.

It is alleged that, a few weeks ago, a Grade 12 learner was deeply embarrassed in front of other learners by the same principal and her deputy simply because of her afro hair. The learners said an embarrassed learner was forced to straighten up her hair simply because teachers deem afro hair as deviant.  

“Teachers should understand that, we are black and they should stop with their draconian policies against afro hairstyles in schools. They are doing this to appease their gamut of 19^th century, which is racist ideologies,” she said.

Meanwhile, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “The principal does not know of any new incident at the school. The only incident she recalls happened a while ago and it involves a Grade 12 learner.

“She came to school with a “Maphondo” hairstyle using brown pantyhose. The learner was requested to comb out the hair as it was not acceptable according to the school policy. She duly complied and the class was normalised.”

Malindi said the policy of the school allows only hairstyles using normal own natural hair and learners are continuously reminded about the school policy.

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