King’s High School year 12 pupil Lewis O’Malley-Scott (16), who is of African-American descent, was stopped by rector Nick McIvor while leaving school yesterday and was told he could wear his hair in cornrows.
The decision is an about-face by Mr McIvor, who last week told Lewis, whose hair naturally forms an afro, he could not attend class if he was wearing cornrows.
The hairstyle was deemed "extreme" and therefore against the school’s uniform policy.
Lewis’ 18-year-old sister, Orianna, took to social media to allege Mr McIvor’s behaviour was racist.
"We are African-American — cornrows are part of our culture," she wrote.
"This, in itself, is nothing less than casual racism."
Lewis’ situation, and the school’s uniform policy, quickly gained national attention, and yesterday Mr McIvor issued a statement saying the school had changed its stance.
The school would ensure "significant cultural need" was included when hairstyles were considered.
Mr McIvor did not respond to a request for an interview.
Lewis yesterday said he was relieved he could wear cornrows again.
He said the school had asked to meet him and his family next week.
"I guess he is still trying to look at other options ... or maybe it is for an apology."
He and his family still felt the cultural significance of cornrows was not understood.
"They did not seem to believe cornrows were actually a hairstyle that was worn by people from my culture.
"In my opinion, he [Mr McIvor] just needs to get out more and visit other parts of the world, then he will notice they are worn a lot."
Criticism this week of the King’s position came from a former head prefect and former Returned and Services Association chief executive Dr Stephen Clarke, who called the school’s stance on cornrows "ridiculous" and said it had opened itself up to ridicule.
It seems there are a range of policies at other Dunedin schools, although most principals did not return calls yesterday.
Otago Boys’ High School’s uniform and grooming policy is online and states
haircuts "must be neat and appropriate for school" and braids, cornrows, dreadlocks, mullets and plaits are not permitted.
Rector Richard Hall did not respond to requests for an interview yesterday.
Kaikorai Valley College principal Richard Geerlofs said diverse hairstyles, including cornrows, were accepted at the school, but hair had to be a naturally occurring colour.
"It’s a way that students can express themselves and to recognise the diversity within our school," he said.
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Let’s hope this sets a precedent for ALL students of ANY cultural background, who may wish to adopt a hairstyle with ties to their respective cultural or ancestral roots. Imagine the flowing long red hair of the Scott’s. Or the braided shaved styles of the early Scandinavian’s, or Celts, someone may even consider the rather prim style of the early religious orders, the ‘Tonsura’ or clipped hair (bald on top) of the early monks to be of significance if you are of the Catholic faith. Arguments could be clearly made in a great many cases. Style tied to culture exists in every ethnic group across all cultural identity. And indeed braided hair travelled far and wide from its original African roots. I hope the rector will be fair and reasonable towards any future cases of personal grooming, presented to him from students of all cultural backgrounds.
Call me a cynic but I do not, for a moment, believe that the school leadership team has had a collective Damascene conversion over this. It is brand management, pure and simple. They have seen and heard the considerable backlash in the media and moved to protect the image of the school. However, the mindset that got the school into this scrape in the first place will undoubtedly still be there. As student recruitment starts again later in the year, I hope parents looking at a school for their son will remember this controversy and make a careful decision about whether they want a progressive, modern, culturally diverse education for their child, or one that is white, male, middle-class and conservative.
That's very woke of you Voll.