Black schoolgirls in South Africa protest after being told to straighten their hair
Pretoria
Girls High School is facing a furious backlash after instructing black school
pupils to straighten their hair. Black school girls claim that they have been
subjected to racism and that their blackness has been discouraged. They added
that school rules forbid African hairstyles such as afro, Bantu knots,
dreadlocks and braids.
#StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh is currently trending in South Africa. Videos and photos of pupils protesting at the school, one of them sporting an afro, went viral over the weekend
A petition STOP RACISM AT PRETORIA GIRLS HIGH which has over 9,889 signatures so far, has been set up asking the authorities to investigate the school. Part of the petition read:
"Learners at Pretoria High school are
demanding that racist practices at the school are brought to an end. Girls
attending the school have been forced to straighten their hair; are accused of
conspiring when standing in groups and face other intolerable comments and
actions"
The
Gauteng Department of Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi arrived at Pretoria High
School for Girls on Monday to investigate racism allegations by its black
learners. He is currently in a meeting with parents, management as well as the
school principal Karen Du Toit.
Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga told DRUM that it is too soon to determine what action will be taken against whom at the school if the girls’ concerns are valid.
Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga told DRUM that it is too soon to determine what action will be taken against whom at the school if the girls’ concerns are valid.
"I can’t have a blanket solution for every
time there is an outburst of racism at a school because each case is
unique," he says. "We want to know what is going on here before we
can make a comment"
The girls also claim they are not allowed to speak their
mother tongue and that a teacher called them monkeys when they were singing and
chanting in class.
Meanwhile, the situation at the school has escalted with political youth movement gathering outside the main gate. Members of SASCO,COSAS, the African National Congress Youth League and Economic Freedom Fighters tried to force their way into the school premises after the school's management barred parents from coming in to fetch their children.
More photos...
Meanwhile, the situation at the school has escalted with political youth movement gathering outside the main gate. Members of SASCO,COSAS, the African National Congress Youth League and Economic Freedom Fighters tried to force their way into the school premises after the school's management barred parents from coming in to fetch their children.
More photos...
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