A 13-year-old schoolgirl from Newport has been excluded from class after turning up with pink and purple hair! Calliah, a student at Lliswerry High School, dyed her hair over the weekend, much to the dismay of school staff, who insisted she stick to the uniform policy by reverting to her natural hair colour. Her mum, Lydia Beaumont, is not having it. She’s standing by her daughter, saying Calliah is an exemplary student and that a splash of colour shouldn’t impact her learning or separate her from classmates.
Lydia describes her daughter as a top-notch pupil who’s always on time, respectful, and well-behaved. She’s often chosen to represent the school in workshops thanks to her behaviour. “Calliah doesn’t deserve this,” Lydia argues, feeling her daughter was unfairly singled out and embarrassed over something that doesn’t affect her education.
Lliswerry High School’s spokesperson reiterated their stance, explaining that the school’s policy is to maintain hair of natural colours to promote a positive learning environment. They clarified Calliah wasn’t isolated, but placed in an inclusion room with other students, as per procedure for uniform breaches.
While strict uniform policies regularly spark debates, Lydia believes the focus should be on more pressing school matters, not individual appearance choices. She plans to keep Calliah at home for now and will meet with senior staff to resolve the issue.
What are your thoughts? Is school policy too strict, or an essential standard? Let us know below!