Girl, 12, left in tears after ‘school told her to remove her braided hair extensions’ in honour of Jamaican heritage
A GIRL was left in tears after it's claimed her school asked her to remove her white braided hair extensions.
Lily Rann, 12, got her new hairstyle in honour of her Jamaican heritage with her great-grandfather said to be the first black miner in her hometown of Midsomer Norton, Somerset.
She was reportedly told she would be sent to isolation if she did not get rid of her new hairstyle after she returned from on holiday in Cyprus.
The Year 8 pupil was devastated to learn that her hair breached her secondary school's policy of no unnatural hair colours.
Her dad Chris said an agreement has been reached with the school to allow her into lessons with her braids as long as she has the synthetic white extensions removed.
He has slammed Norton Hill School for their stance on the issue - claiming "discrimination".
He said: "It's absolutely mad - there are people dying in this pandemic. There are more important things to be doing.
"Lily has had a really tough time with mental health over lockdown so we don't want her in isolation.
"People have messaged us saying, 'What's her hair got to do with her learning?' It's discrimination. I think they are discriminating against her.
"I really like the hairstyle. They said it was unacceptable. I think it's more than acceptable."
Lorry driver Chris, 32, said he booked his family a holiday after a relative died and left him some money.
'ABSOLUTLEY MAD'
He gave some of the cash Lily who then used it to pay for the hair extensions.
Chris said he told the school of the new style before his daughter went back on Tuesday - and said they asked to see a picture.
He didn't send one, but when Lily when to school she was reportedly told that she would have to go to isolation unless her hair was changed.
The school are then said to have repeated this to Chris' partner and Lily's mum, Lydia Grubb, 31, in a meeting with staff.
He added: "The school said they wouldn't have her in properly but in isolation because of it.
"They said the extensions need to be dyed or removed. They did say they didn't have a problem with the braids, which are essentially plaits.
"Lily's absolutely gutted. She even asked for bright colours in Cyprus and I said: 'No, the school won't let you have that'.
"It's just absolutely ridiculous - its not an eyesore. White is a natural colour.
"All that will happen is Lily's friends will say 'nice hair' on the first day and then it will be old news and forgotten about."
A spokesperson for Norton Hill School said: "Norton Hill school has a reputation for having high expectations and standards throughout all aspects of school life.
"Our policy around uniform, like many others schools, prohibits extreme hairstyles which in this particular case involves synthetic, white hair extensions woven throughout the entire head of hair.
"We have asked the parents to remove the synthetic hair and they have refused.
"We have not refused entry into school for the pupil in question and it is the parents that have refused to send their child into school.
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"This is a great shame, as the pupil in question has already missed a great deal of schooling following a family holiday in the first 2 weeks of term.
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"I am hopeful that the parents will support us in school to maintain standards and ensure that we can be focussed on the education of children rather than their uniform.
"The parents have now agreed to remove the synthetic hair at the weekend and hence we have made a reasonable adjustment and allowed her back into lessons under the proviso that this agreement is respected."
