In 2017, Chikayzea Flanders, a 12-year-old black Rastafarian boy was told he had to cut off his dreadlocks or be suspended from school. The case led to legal action funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (see, EHRC, 2018).
In 2018, the EHRC also supported Ruby Williams, a 14-year-old mixed race girl who had been sent home repeatedly for having Afro hair. She was told that her hairstyle breached the school uniform policy, which stated “Afro hair must be of reasonable size and length”. Ruby was told her hair was “too big” (EHRC, 2020).
And last autumn, Jaylen Mason, an 11-year-old mixed race boy, started year 7 but found himself in isolation on day one for having a haircut described by the school as “too short” and “an extreme haircut”.
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