Stopping students from attending their graduation prom due to their hairstyles is unlawful, according to Attorney Martin George. This statement follows an incident where male students from Harmons School of the SDA in Tobago were removed from their school prom on Monday night for wearing their hair in cornrows, violating the school’s rule against “fancy marks and patterns that distract.”
George likened this discriminatory act to the racial segregation battled by attorney Thurgood Marshall in 1954. “Our constitution in Trinidad and Tobago provides that you ought not to discriminate against persons based upon these sorts of criteria,” he emphasized.
This incident echoes a similar situation at Trinity, Moka, which led the Ministry of Education to allow schools to create individual policies governing hairstyles.
Discrimination Based on Hair
Highlighting the severity of discrimination based on hair, George referred to the Crown Act enacted in the US in 2019. This law protects people wearing natural hairstyles and dreadlocks from unfair termination. He noted that in such contexts, the law has typically favored the individual.
Recalling a local case, George mentioned the Prisons Service being stopped from demanding a prisoner shave his beard due to religious reasons. He urged caution to avoid infringing on individuals’ rights to expression. “We have to be careful where school officials impose arbitrary standards or personal beliefs on students and their families,” he said.
Legal Implications
George asserted that there is nothing legally objectionable about the students’ hairstyles, and the school was in the wrong. He advised anyone with evidence of assault from this incident to seek legal redress to prevent future occurrences.
The attorney’s comments underscore the need for schools to balance their policies with respect for students’ rights, ensuring no discrimination occurs based on appearance.