I refer to the article, Pupil suspended for ignoring hair policy, week ending 18 September 2015, saying that high schools should no longer have a hair policy.
The reason for this is because young people see what the fashion is out there and should not be prevented from following it as they need to develop their own personality.
Victor Matfield has long hair and it doesn’t seem to diminish cohesion and performance of the Springbok rugby team.
Schools should rather place emphasis on academic excellence and values such as respect for others.
Bryanston High School insulted a pupil by suspending him and the question now is: Did the suspended pupil experience respect from the school?
Respect is not some theoretical knowledge that one applies practically later on in life, but it needs to be practised and lived at school.
The hair policy is not so much about hair, it is about submitting pupils to authority.
It is also not about respect for the school, it is about inducing fear and coercion. Many dads say that they hated it, and in the same breath they say that they… [don’t want their sons] to experience the same.
The [pupils] need to liberate themselves to create a better world for their sons.
