'Expelled' for messy hair
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extracted from asia one
FOR three days, Anita Liew and her parents were distraught and puzzled because they thought she had been expelled from school - over a few stray strands of hair.
Her mother, Madam Wong Kan May, 44, was first told that Anita had been expelled over her "unruly hair" after she had failed to pin the strands from her ponytail neatly.
She was told to find another school for Anita, who is doing her N levels this year.
It was only after appealing to meet the principal that she was told it was a "misunderstanding", and that Anita had only been disciplined, and not expelled.
The principal apologised and Anita, 15, was then allowed to continue attending the school, Henderson Secondary.
The three days of uncertainty and missed schooling has upset Madam Wong. She felt the "worry caused was unnecessary".
Initially, she said she found it "ridiculous" that Anita was being expelled over her hairstyle.
"My daughter has a good record with the school," she said. "She is not the rebellious sort."
Anita, a Secondary Four student, told The New Paper that on 9 Feb, the principal had walked into the classroom midway through her Chinese lesson.
Anita claimed: "The principal asked me, "Why is your hair like that?", then told me to go down to the foyer. I didn't know what I did wrong but I was very afraid."
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She claimed there were about 10 other students who were told to gather there.
Anita claimed the principal then reprimanded her, saying her hair was "unacceptable" and against the rules.
Her account could not be verified because the principal could not be reached despite repeated attempts to seek clarifications.
Humiliating
Said Anita: "It was humiliating and I felt embarrassed because he shouted at me to "get out" and told me to change school. Then he told me to go to the office and phone my mother. I thought I had been expelled."
Madam Wong, a housewife who works part-time selling fish, rushed down to the school from work when she got the call.
She arrived to see her daughter crying outside the school office.
"My daughter told me she had been expelled. I was very puzzled," said Madam Wong in Mandarin.
She asked to see the principal but was told by a member of the school staff that the principal was too busy to meet her.
"He told me my daughter had been expelled and that the principal's decision was final. I did not know what my daughter did but I thought it must have been a very serious offence," she said.
"I apologised and asked for a second chance, but he told me, 'No' and that I should arrange for my daughter to be transferred to another school."
She was later told the reason for the expulsion was her daughter's hairstyle. Anita has long hair and usually ties it up in a ponytail when she goes to school, said Madam Wong.
She offered to get Anita's hair cut to comply with the rules, but she claimed the staff member insisted he could not help.
Madam Wong then left with her daughter.
"(Anita) cried all the way home. I did not know how badly the incident would affect her as she is very sensitive and timid by nature," said Madam Wong.
"She is quiet, keeps to herself a lot, and usually doesn't say much. Teenagers can be unpredictable in their behaviour and I was worried she might react badly."
Two of her friends, former students who graduated from the school last year, said they were shocked to hear about the incident. They had been with her in the school choir.
Durkesh, 16, said he had been a prefect and his impression of Anita was that she was the quiet and obedient type.
"She talks only to people she knows," he said. "Otherwise she doesn't say much. I don't think she is the rebellious type."
Nigel Tan, 17, agreed, adding: "I don't think she is a troublemaker or the defiant type. She comes across as the type who is easily frightened."
Madam Wong's husband called the school the next day and made an appointment to meet the principal on 12 Feb.
Said Madam Wong: "During the meeting, we were told it was a misunderstanding and that our daughter had not been expelled. But the principal said our daughter had repeatedly broken rules by keeping her fingernails long and not clipping up her hair.
"If she had not clipped her hair properly, why didn't they tell her the right way to do it? And if she had done this repeatedly, why didn't the school inform me earlier?
"Also, my daughter has a bad habit of chewing her fingernails until they are too short. How is it possible that she could have kept them too long when she can't even stop biting them?"
Upset
Anita was allowed to return to school on Wednesday, after the Chinese New Year holiday, but Madam Wong is still upset.
"If my daughter had not been expelled as I was initially told, why didn't her teacher call when my daughter did not go to school for the following three days?"
"I think school rules are important and I want my daughter to be an obedient student and behave correctly.
"But in this case, I don't think it was right that my daughter was asked to leave without a proper explanation when I made the effort to go to the school," she said.
Student broke school rule
IN A faxed reply to some of the queries from The New Paper, the school principal, Mr Simen Lourds, said Anita Liew had not been expelled.
According to him, Anita had not adhered to the school rule that "students are advised to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner". It is unclear if the punishment is also spelt out in the rules.
Repeated reminders
He said the girl had been given "repeated reminders".
He added that "her parent was thus requested to accompany her home to neaten her hair", and that "she was not expelled from school".
He said "students are taught the importance of proper grooming and observing the rules as a responsible member of the school community".
The school subsequently met the student and her parents to discuss the matter. As the student agreed to comply with the rules with regard to her hairstyle, she has since returned to the school.
A Ministry of Education spokesman said it provides schools with guidelines to manage discipline in schools.
Said the spokesman: "Within these guidelines, each school formulates its own specific set of rules and measures, taking into account its student profile and what would best meet the needs of the students."All schools have their rules on student behaviour and conduct. These would include rules on uniforms and hairstyles.
"When students, both male and female, are in uniform, they must be neat and presentable."
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This is too much... Totally nonsense~
Flame the school pricipal, Mr Simen Lourds~~
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i should show this principal what my hair was like when i was in sec school.
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Originally posted by udontknowme:
i should show this principal what my hair was like when i was in sec school.
let me guess... U had... ... ... udon or soba on ur hair when u're in sec school?
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i dont see anything wrong with her hair.
its ridiculous even to suggest its a misunderstanding.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i dont see anything wrong with her hair.
its ridiculous even to suggest its a misunderstanding.
Me 2... Is the hair really such a problem that the future of the student cannot compare to it???totally makes no sense sia... Flame the principal~~~
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Without kindness and a forgiving heart, how can he become a principal?
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The Ministry of Education should investigate the principal for shouting at his students. This is totally unacceptable bully behaviour.
By the way, he looks like he needs to participate in more PE classes - not as a coach, but like, run around the school field while skipping through a hoola hoop or hop around the basketball court while holding a basketball above his head type of excercise. Aren't there MOE guidelines for disciplining unfit looking education providers like making them pass some form of IPPT?
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Actually I don't really understand what is the fuss with schools over hairstyle. Until scientist/researcher proves that hairstyle affect studies, it seems to me it has no effect on it. As long as the hairstyle is not overly wrong like cut until like poccupine or dye multi-colour, it is still quite acceptable. Uniform I understand because they scared later got society discrimination (those rich one will dress up until damn nice and hang out only with those wearing nice clothes one and the poor will be sort of discriminated) but hairstyle as long as not really that jia lat still can pass.
If Singapore wants to be "in", old mentality have to go sometimes.
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HAHAHA....
What a lousy principal... should complain to MOE and demand that something has to be done. Blow this matter up and make it well known, then MOE no choice but got to take action and sack this joker.
Simen?? HAHAHAHA.... yeah he should participate in EVERY physical education sessions that the school conducts for the students... and I mean EVERY!!!
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
Me 2... Is the hair really such a problem that the future of the student cannot compare to it???me 3...not to say to consider the student's future...but there is really nothing wrong with the hairstyle...maybe the principal was expecting some kind of ah-mah hairstyle?
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Few more years down the road, when more young, liberal minded people take charge of the school, this tiny weeny hair problem wont even exists.