QUEENSBURGH Girls’ High School (QGHS) came under the spotlight recently following racism claims made by its black pupils. The girls raised their concerns and claims of victimisation they encountered because of their natural hair. The issue grabbed media headlines and was likened to similar issues raised in newspapers over the Pretoria Girls’ High School’s hair policy.
A QGHS Old Girl, known to the Queensburgh News, said the concerns raised by the pupils were not new as they had also been voiced during her days at the school. “At school black girls were called to the hall on numerous occasions, excluded from the rest, to be asked to do something about their wild hair as it was ‘getting out of hand’,” she said. During these interventions by the school, she said some girls were forced to relax their hair, shave it off, plait it strait back or undo their dreadlocks. She said she felt proud of the girls at Pretoria Girls’ High School for saying no to being discriminated against for their “beautiful, black, wild and natural hair.”
Spokesman for the provincial Department of Education, Sihle Mlotshwa, said the interventions by the school was unlawful. “The constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the South African Schools Act are both against any form of racism and discrimination. Any form of racism in schools is frowned upon and is against the law. This matter is being investigated,” he said.
The school declined to comment on the matter.
