Protesting PE pupils bring school to a standstill

PUPILS from Lawson Brown High School in Port Elizabeth brought the school to a standstill yesterday when they protested over alleged verbal racist attacks concerning black authentic hair.

The picket protest broke out on the streets in front of the school while pupils were joined in solidarity with members of the EFF who picketed in song and dance.

Chaos later erupted in the school corridors with students and EFF members disrupting classes, while the school principal, Donovan Cairncross, addressed a group of angry residents and parents in his office.

Cairncross refused to let the media sit in on the discussion.

Students were angry with teachers who allegedly claimed afro hair was “uncontrollable” and pupils with afro or braided hair would not be allowed to write their CAT examinations, starting this week.

A Grade 12 pupil, who may not be identified as he is still a minor, said students tried to engage with school management last week, but it ended with teachers trying to “fix” the hair of his friend, a girl.

The boy said he was told by teachers to remove a complaint he had made on Facebook. He said he was trying to create awareness on the matter, but teachers insisted on undermining his credibility.

The friend said she was called out of assembly last week to see a teacher to discuss black pupils’ hair.

She said she did not understand why teachers would discriminate against a black pupil wearing a bun and say nothing to a white pupil wearing a bun.

Acting district director with the Department of Education George Lukwe commended pupils for raising their concerns regarding the school’s policy on afro hair.

Lukwe said every pupil would be able to write examinations and no pupil would be turned away based on an afro or braided hairstyle. “We take responsibility as a department to say we want to apologise. I want to humbly appeal to learners and parents to give us a chance. When we speak as the department we speak on behalf of all,” he told angry pupils.