By: Ada Xin

Uniforms and hairstyles are continuing to cause problems with students who are pushing for more freedom and rights at school this week.

A Year 10 student at Melbourne’s Mordialloc College was pulled out from class because of his brightly colored hair. He dyed his hair bright colors to make a statement about social issues he is passionate about, including youth mental health.

“I want kids in high school to feel like their voices are heard and matter,” the student said (Kids News, June 18, 2023). He has been told to study in the senior school office until he gets his hair “fixed.” The student says it is hard to study at the office.

The school has a rule stating students cannot wear “non-natural hair colors.”

The student has been asked to wear a school logo-branded beanie until his hair fades. His mother believes the request is discriminatory and invades his right to advocate for the situations he supports (Kids News, June 18, 2023).

Another number of students were removed from a Victorian school for failing to wear school-branded items. One student reports up to 100 students was sent up to the library because they wore plain black pants instead of the school-branded ones.

Piper is a Year 12 and says her school is forcing the students on the new uniform policy. “There are a lot of families doing it tough and visiting food banks,” she said. “It is more than reasonable to buy cheaper alternatives from shops such as Kmart as long as they are within the school color” (Kids News, June 18, 2023)

Another grooming dispute erupted at Highview College in Maryborough. Amayah and Safhira Rowe, two sisters, were prevented from school because they did not tie back their box braids, braids in a square shape and braided along their length.

Sources: https://eb18600f7bb2916037f5ee8e636ce199.cdn.bubble.io/f1687116913212x761921434810997200/Students%20give%20schools%20a%20spray%20over%20restricted%20hair%20colour%20and%20uniforms%20_%20KidsNews.pdf