London High Court Rules Catholic School's Ban on Cornrow Hairstyle of African-Caribbean Student Discriminatory

London High Court rules St. Gregory's Catholic Science College discriminated against African-Caribbean student when it said there was a ban on wearing cornrow hairstyle.

UK Guardian

St. Gregory's Catholic Science College in Harrow, north London, banned certain hairstyles, including cornrows. The High Court ruled Friday that it has resulted in "unlawful, indirect racial discrimination which is not justified." Smackdown! The case stemmed from a student of Caribbean descent, who wears his hair in cornrows as part of a family tradition. According to AFP, the child, 11 at the time, was turned away from St. Gregory's on his first day at the school in September 2009, because of his hairstyle. His mother then challenged the school's policy and was victorious on some fronts.

G, who cannot be named, and his mother challenged the school's policy of banning cornrows.
A judge on Friday ruled that the policy was not unlawful in itself, "but if it is applied without any possibility of exception, such as G, then it is unlawful".

Mr Justice Collins, sitting in London, said in future the school authorities must consider allowing other boys to wear cornrows if it is "a genuine family tradition based on cultural and social reasons".

"This is an important decision," said G's solicitor, Angela Jackman, after the hearing. "It makes clear that non-religious cultural and family practices associated with a particular race fall within the protection of equalities legislation." Source

Andrew Prindiville, principal of St. Gregory's says he stands by the school's decision to encourage "a traditional schoolboy haircut or a 'short back and sides'." Whatever Mr. Prindiville, whatever. We are living in a different era. So, what would he say about white boys who wear their hair long? Or even have dreadlocks?