- Target:
- Rusinga Parents
- Region:
- Kenya
A parent whose 6 year old son has been refused admission into the Prep School because of dreadlocked hair has sued Rusinga School and petitioned the court for an order to compel the Rusinga School board of directors to admit to her son.
The parent has accused Rusinga School of discrimination on gender lines, on the basis that dreadlocked hair is acceptable for female students and not male students. That the school is violating Article 2(4) and (5) of the Kenyan Constitution which provides the non discrimination against any person either race, sex, colour, religion, marital status.
Rusinga School holds the position that admission to Prep School of a male student with dreadlocked hair, contradicts the school Code of Conduct and allowed common practice on the personal grooming of students. While the Code of Conduct does not spell out the approved type of hair styles, it has been common practice that male students in the Prep School should maintain neatly trimmed hair while in school. Female students are allowed neatly kept braids, dreadlocks included. This practice is not strictly enforced on students in the Kindergarten level, as the formal British National Curriculum commences in Prep School. Hence, the reason boy while in the Kindergarten level was allowed to maintain dreadlocked hair. The school’s intention to enforce the rule on hair for male students if the boy was admitted to the Prep School was severally informally communicated to the parent and compliance requested before admission into Prep School could be granted.
On 17th September 2014, the High Court declined to issue an order until both parties have been heard next week on 23rd September 2014.
Until then, some parents supportive of the school's position have agreed to add their voice as interested stakeholders. The idea that the school should be compelled to take action contrary to the Code of Conduct and ongoing enforceable practice is of great concern because the Code of Conduct is the backbone of the school’s enforcement of discipline among students.
This case sets an important precedent for Rusinga School. If the court compels the school to admit a dreadlocked student to Prep School, it would be prejudicial to all other aspects of the school’s Code of Conduct and would likely expose the schools to other instances of non compliance on the basis of individual expression by students. It would be like opening a Pandora’s Box.
Parents, we have a stake in this ongoing case and this is a call to action. Therefore, please sign this petition to show your support for Rusinga School’s right to uphold the Code of Conduct and assert the following;
1) That, Rusinga School has a right to enforce their Code of Conduct. The right to require compliance by all students admitted to the school and right to take action for non compliance.
2) That, the strict enforcement of the Code of Conduct by Rusinga School does not amount to discrimination of the non compliant students.
3) That, all students admitted to Rusinga School do so at will and in doing so subscribe to the set Code of Conduct and practices at Rusinga School.
4) That, Rusinga School management reserves the right of admission of students and has the discretion to deny admission to any student that doesn't meet set criteria.
5) That, it is the duty of the school is to impart a formal education and instill a standard set of values and so to foster a conducive environment for learning and meet that duty, it's the school’s right to enforce a suitable Code of Conduct.
6) That, Rusinga School acts as the students’ custodian while in school and for reason has the right and responsibility to establish a suitable Code of Conduct that acts as a backbone for the management’s governance and authority over the school body and the safe guard of the students welfare while in school.
7) That, requiring Rusinga School to continuously amend the Code of Conduct and practices to suit every individual student/parent preference and circumstance is impractical and untenable.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Parents petition in support of Rusinga School petition to Rusinga Parents was written by Parents4rusingaschool and is in the category Education at GoPetition.