An angry mother has taken her two children out of school after they were kept in isolation because of their ‘extreme’ haircuts.
Leroy Wilson, 13, and his younger brother TJ Wilson, 11, were taken away from the rest of their classmates at Kingswood Academy in Hull on Tuesday.
Their mother, Terri Lea Wilson, was told both boys needed to have their hair restyled – but she claimed it would be against their human rights if she forced them to have it re-cut.
But the 30-year-old mother sent her children back to school the following day with no changes to their hair and they were put back in isolation again, which resulted in Ms Wilson pulling both of the children out of school.
Leroy Wilson, 13, and his younger brother TJ Wilson, 11, were taken away from the rest of their classmates at Kingswood Academy on Tuesday for their haircuts
The mother-of-six, who lives in Hull, said: ‘It’s a normal hairstyle for boys but the school said they need to get their hair cut if they want to come back to school or else they will stay in consequences.’
She added: ‘It’s just wrong. They boys are not happy and have said they won’t get it cut. I can’t force them to, especially Leroy – he is 13 years old.
‘I can’t say to them to just go and get it cut because it’s against their human rights and a lot of parents are kicking off.
‘Until they get it cut they are not allowed to go back. I work full-time, I’ve got a day job as a care worker and a night job as cleaner so I can’t really do anything with them.
‘It’s disgusting. It’s a hairstyle and it’s nothing big or major. I wouldn’t like anyone telling you have got to get your hair cut. Why should I? They have no right to do that.
‘It’s a great school, they’ve got great policies and they are strict with the kids but this is just a bit over the top.’
The mother is adamant that her children should not be made to have their haircut again.
Leroy’s hair is brushed to the side with a quiff while TJ’s is short on the sides with a line in it.
Ms Wilson added: ‘My husband went to the headteacher and he said, “How can I drag a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old when they are going to fight with me and refuse? I’m going to get locked up, I just can’t”.
‘It’s ridiculous and cruel.’
TJ said: ‘We should be able to have our own haircuts.’
A spokesman for Kingswood Academy school said: ‘We at the academy have the highest of expectations regarding uniform – including hairstyles – which have been in place for the last three years.
‘These expectations are made very clear in the uniform policy which is shared with parents and students annually, and is also displayed on the website.
‘Any student who fails to meet the standard is allowed to go home to rectify the issue, if not they are placed in isolation.
‘Out of the 804 students on roll, 801 students regularly meet the expectations consistently, lesson in, lesson out.
‘In February 2018, Kingswood Academy was judged to be Good in all categories and Ofsted commented specifically on how proud students were of their school and their uniform, which they wear with pride.’
Terri Lea Wilson (centre) with her sons TJ Wilson (left) and Leroy Wilson (right)
Previous victims of British school’s strict hair policy
Leroy and TJ are not the first pupils to be penalised by their school for getting fashionable haircuts. Below is an example of students who have been disciplined by their school in the past 12 months for their haircuts.
- Lucian Smith’s parents allowed him to have lines cut into his hair during the Easter holidays, thinking it would grow back by the time term started.
But when he turned up to lessons on his first day back at Templars Academy, in Witham, Essex, he was hauled into isolation during break times over the ‘inappropriate’ style.
Lucian Smith was kicked out of school for having lines in his hair
- Khai Okojie was banned from a Christmas carol concert because of his ‘extreme’ haircut.
He had to stay in class at Ellenbrook Community Primary in Salford, Greater Manchester, yesterday while his friends sang carols at a nearby church.
Khai Okojie was banned from a Christmas carol concert because of his ‘extreme’ haircut
- Macauley Wade, 16, was accused of having an ‘extreme haircut’ because his hair was tied in a bobble at Havelock Academy in Grimsby.
Macauley Wade, 16, was accused of having an ‘extreme haircut’ because his hair was tied in a bobble at Havelock Academy in Grimsby