School rules are something everyone can relate to, whether you have pleasant or bitter memories of your time at school.Some rules, like not wearing jewelry during sports activities, make sense, but it seems unwise to send someone home for things like wearing too much makeup or bringing an illegal soda.When children are at an age where they want to stand out and be themselves, the rules and regulations that schools impose on their appearance can feel stifling.A mother and her 8-year-old son believe the rules go too far and the child could be deprived of a quality education as a result.
Londoner Farouk James’s magnificent hair has caught the attention of modeling agencies. After participating in photo shoots in New York and Italy, he now makes a living as a child model.However, his appearance got him into trouble in class and several schools rejected him based solely on the length of his hair.Bonnie Miller, James’ mother, shared that she was told her son’s long hair was a problem at school.According to Bonnie, Farouk’s father is Ghanaian; That’s why his parents waited until he was three years old to shave his head.
“At that time, he was attached (and so was I, to be honest) to his beautiful hair,” Bonnie told CBS News. “We just let his hair grow. »
In the United Kingdom, where the family resides, most schools prohibit boys from wearing long hair, although it is acceptable for girls. Bonnie says that forcing them to cut their hair is a violation of children’s rights.
“I won’t stop trying to persuade governments to put laws in place to protect children from these outdated and punitive rules,” her mother, Bonnie, wrote on Instagram.
“Farouk did nothing wrong and YOU REJECT HIM! He will say goodbye to his friends when they are all accepted into the schools he desperately wants to attend. »Because of this, Bonnie even started a petition on Change.org to ban hair discrimination in the UK.
“We’re building a real team and we’ll call it Generation Mane,” Bonnie said. “We will fight until these rules change. And this concerns everyone, not just the UK. »More than a quarter of a million people follow Farouk’s mother’s Instagram account, which highlights the boy’s life as a fun-loving child model.However, despite all the positive comments they receive, they continue to face hateful comments.Bonnie said she received a lot of hate mail after appearing on “This Morning” in the United Kingdom to talk about the family’s search for a school that would accommodate Farouk and her hair.
“This week is mental health week so I’m surprised I’m getting a lot of negative comments about Farouk’s hair,” Bonnie wrote in May of last year.
“Farouk’s hair is part of him and he doesn’t cut it to appease anyone, just as he doesn’t leave it long at my request. »According to Bonnie, several schools have policies against students wearing dreadlocks or braids because they are considered racist.The mother vows to continue fighting for Farouk and other children who face prejudice for wanting to express their ethnic identity through their hair.In the year 2022, it is unacceptable for the people responsible for teaching our children to reject a child because of their hair. Farouk’s hair is part of who he is. These rules should be banned.
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