Challenging hair discrimination in schools
After facing discrimination in school because of her Afro hair, Ruby Williams decided to share her story publicly to raise awareness about the issue. Her mother, Kate Williams, later wrote about her and Ruby’s experiences for the Runnymede Trust. Here they reflect on the progress made in the years since and make a renewed call for inclusive hair policies in the education system.
Kate
Two and a half years ago, I wrote an article for the Runnymede Trust blog about how, as a white teacher and parent, I had never heard of hair discrimination until my daughter, Ruby, was challenged about her Afro hair in school in 2016.
At the time, I was at the end of the first year of my doctorate researching hair policies in schools. I’m now more than half-way through my research, against a backdrop of debates around ‘zero tolerance’ schools. Regardless of where you stand on approaches to discipline in the education system, the issue of imposing rules on a child’s body is a completely separate matter. A recent BBC article on an academy school in London featured allegations from former pupils about hair policies as a possible site of racial bias.
Much has improved for pupils with Afro-textured hair in terms of public awareness and the racial literacy of educators on the issue. This is perhaps due to young people such as Ruby, Josiah Sharpe and Chikayzea Flanders sharing their stories and campaigns run by organisations such as World Afro Day, the Race Equality in Education All-Party Parliamentary Group and the Halo Collective over the last eight years, as well as the power of social media to expose racism.
But there are still huge grey areas where pupils can, and do, face similar situations to Ruby regarding their hair, with approaches varying widely between schools.
Looking forward
Ruby and I do not want children to have to bear the responsibility of challenging school hair policies on an individual basis. This can have a huge impact: their school memories will be tainted and the experience will become part of their story.
My latest research featured stories of pupils having their hair cut or their scalps spray-painted; being put in isolation; being sent home; and being excluded from school photographs. They are also left wondering why this was happening to them. One child told me he was heartbroken to be put in isolation on his first day of school simply because of the way he wore his hair.
We would prefer schools to take the initiative and review their own policies. Shortly after my last article for the blog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) launched guidance that was collaboratively developed with many stakeholders.
Next steps
The EHRC guidance is detailed and confirms that some school hair policies are probably illegal. However, this is just guidance and not a statutory requirement, which means we are relying on schools to choose to follow the guidance. As a result, a pupil could easily find themselves in the same position as Ruby back in 2016.
I have been urging MPs to ensure hair policy guidance becomes a statutory obligation in schools, as has happened with guidance on the cost of school uniforms. The Department for Education would then be able to intervene directly without families having to take on the battle on themselves or rely on the Equality Act 2010.
This piece of equality legislation covers racial discrimination but does not explicitly identify Afro-textured hair as an integral part of race. The Halo Collective (which campaigns against hair discrimination), World Afro Day (which was launched in 2017) and many others are campaigning for equality law to make this clear, which would protect people in workplaces, as well as in schools.
I personally believe that minors in the education system deserve to be protected through education law, too.
Ruby
I was 18 when I first publicly shared my story of how I faced hair discrimination at secondary school. I was overwhelmed with the amount of support I had. However, one of the hardest parts was opening myself up to unwanted criticism from people who just couldn’t fathom that a school policy could be discriminatory and that I was anything more – to quote one person – than a ‘stroppy teenager of colour’. There were various comments, such as ‘who would employ her anyway?’, which received 1,600 likes. Suggestions that I had made myself ‘unemployable’ affected my mental health significantly as I began to worry about my future.
This experience dominated my GCSE and A-level years. The legal case alone rumbled on for nearly two years. I know it impacted my academic achievement, my confidence and the way I saw society and my place within it. Looking back, I’m proud of myself for making the decision to share my story as a teenager. I knew it wouldn’t reverse my trauma, but I wanted to try and protect others from facing similar situations.
I am excited to say that last summer I graduated from the University of Manchester with a first in management (marketing) with industrial experience. I started a great job immediately afterwards and my confidence is returning, as I feel valued as an employee. I have been thinking about the past four-five years a lot, and how proud I am of this achievement.
While studying for my degree, I also become an activist on this issue, including by serving for a year as the campaigns coordinator of the Halo Collective. The experience was incredibly healing and rewarding. Being a part of a team who care as deeply about this issue as I do, feels like a full circle moment for me.
Among the people we supported was La’Zaynia and her family. At the beginning of year 10, La’Zaynia was reprimanded for a splash of colour in her extension braids, even though she had worn her hair in a similar way previously. It was an upsetting experience for her at the start of the academic year at a school at which she felt she belonged.
Although La’Zaynia did initially need to alter her hair, her school investigated the matter carefully. Teachers discussed it with her family and outside advisors, and concluded they would adopt the Halo Code, which was developed by activists for schools and workplaces to ensure they are inclusive for those with Afro-textured hair.
The detail that stood out for us was the heartfelt apology the headteacher gave to La’Zaynia and her family. He acknowledged that he didn’t understand how her Afro hair was being worn, the time taken or needs of her hair, the cultural significance of it or how it may have made her feel to be reprimanded in that way. He listened and moved forward with his policies and thinking. We hope other schools will follow his example.
Get involved
- If you are linked to a school and have used the EHRC guidance, please complete the feedback survey before 17 January.
- If a pupil you know has faced hair discrimination: contact the Equality Advice & Support Service.
- Report any breaches of the Equality Act 2010 to the EHRC.
- Write to your local councillors and MP and ask them to strengthen the Equality Act 2010 regarding Afro hair as a racial signifier and for existing guidance for schools to become a statutory obligation.
- Invite your school to the Big Hair Assembly, which will be held on World Afro Day (15 September).
- Invite schools to #ADOPTTHECODE
- Join our support group for parents and children affected by this issue. Contact Kate for more information: katherine.williams.21@ucl.ac.uk
Ruby Williams is a global project director, while continuing to volunteer with the Halo Collective and work as an activist more widely on this issue.
Kate Williams is a teacher and is currently studying for a doctorate in education at the UCL Institute of Education, producing research to give pupils and families a voice and support schools in making careful choices about their hair policies.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Runnymede Trust.
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