Rightly so in my opinion as they made a fundamental error.
The same error South African schools have made for decades and businesses continue to make to this day.
Quite a few years ago I commented on the crazy school rules and accompanying perceptions. Many schools have the rule that you may not walk in public, or corridors for that matter, carrying your blazer. It must be worn.
Apparently this has a lot to do with building pride.
Really guys, in the South African heat of 2016 you are prepared to have your pupils die from heat exhaustion before they may remove their blazers in public? Clearly this is an old-fashioned rule accompanied by the perception that school pride can only be built through uniformity.
I bet my bottom dollar that at Pretoria Girls High School, lack of knowledge and diversity training led to their current situation. You see it is one in a very few white kids that have this kind of afro (I happen to be one of them, not a kid anymore, so I guess that should be past tense) so it never became a problem as far as the code of conduct goes. But as the Soweto principals have so aptly pointed out, in their schools, they have a code of conduct that clearly states no afro beyond 10cm. Why? Because they know black hair and they understand it. And this is a very practical rule too, as a large afro certainly blocks the view of the pupil behind you trying to see a blackboard.
My point is? The acceptance of our diverse cultures brings strength! It brings foresight and preparedness. Had there been more black teachers, parents and scholars involved in the drawing up of the school’s code of conduct, this natural teenage rebellion could have been predicted.
I do wish them well in overcoming the rift in the school now perceived as being racist only. I also hope that many schools and organisations will learn from this debacle. Diversity is strength.
There is a place on this earth for all of us, big hair or not!
© Debbie Engelbrecht
Debbie is the CEO of Staff Training, a soft skills training company offering more than 60 short courses including Etiquette, Diversity and Conflict Management. Find out more here.