One of the earliest conversations I had with my homestay sister after arriving in Durban was around education. When I asked her what was one thing she would change about her school, without hesitation; she said the ‘hair code’.
In August of 2016 protests at the prestigious Pretoria Girls High School sparked a hashtag, #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh, that went viral, trending worldwide. The protests were in response to school’s the hair code, which states that students may not wear their hair in wide cornrows, braids, or dreadlocks.
Historically, Pretoria Girls was an all white school under the apartheid regime. It began admitting black students in the mid- 90s. In support of the hair code, some educators have argued that the hair dress code deters personal expression that may take the focus away from learning. However, while the hair code never explicitly singles out Afro- textured hair, it does not limit straight hair styles to such a degree and with such specific detail.
South Africa’s minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, tweeted after the eruption of protests that, “Schools should not be used as a platform to discourage students from embracing their African identity” (NPR, http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/09/06/492417635/a-ban-on-black-hairstyles-raises-deeper-issues-about-race). Black students have also recounted experiences in which their teachers and peers described their dreadlocks as “bird’s nests”.
One student said natural hair was being criminalized, stating, “You’re in fear when you go to school because you know you will be policed,”(The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/31/south-african-students-speak-out-ban-afro-hair-pretoria-school).
#StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh hit home for many Americans, myself included, as issues of black beauty and empowerment have plagued our culture in the United States. The issue of wearing naturally Afro- textured hair in particular is one that has affected my confidence and feelings of self- worth for much of my life. I made the decision to come to South Africa to study in July of 2016. Seeing #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh on social media one month later prompted me to think about the ways in which racism continues to persist in South Africa. I remained curious to hear about the experiences of students at these newly desegregated schools.
Last week when I visited Durban Girls College, the faculty informed me that their hair code is currently under revision. It appears as though South African institutions may not be keeping up with the social transformations that the nation has undergone.
Despite the small victory of the students at Pretoria Girls, the girls at historically white schools still seem to be the ones who must assimilate into the preexisting culture of the school, as the schools are doing little to adapt to the changing demographics and social climates.
