In a modern democratic society where our constitutional rights safeguard freedom of expression, freedom against discrimination, and freedom of religion, the reason for wearing locks is as irrelevant as the colour of one’s eyes.

Locks have become more than religion and, in my opinion, it is highly improper and unreasonable for any child, parent, or any Jamaican for that matter, to have to declare that he/she is Rastafari to be “allowed” to receive an education at a public school.

Freedom of religion means just that; that one is free to practise their religion both publicly and privately, as well as the freedom to change their religion if they choose. Asking one to declare their religion publicly to be able to derive an education or any social benefit erodes the privacy of adopting a religion of one’s choosing and presents a plethora of social and constitutional issues.

Across the world, children who wear locks have won constitutional battles against oppressive schools that have sought to deny them attendance on the basis of discriminatory anti-locks rules or policy. In Jamaica, it is our school boards that are empowered to make rules under the Education Act, in consultation with staff and students. In 2018, however, the ministry developed a Student Dress and Grooming Policy that at its core is rights-based and was intended to safeguard against non-discriminatory treatment of our students. The policy recognises that where there are schools with rules which seek to prevent students with certain hairstyles, such as locks, from admission, that exceptions must be made. However, in seeking to cure the prejudice, the policy makes an exception for “non-conformity” by “allowing” children to be admitted to school provided they wear their hair in a particular manner for health reasons and, in the case of locks, for religious reasons. The policy, therefore, restricts itself by failing to expressly state that children with locks, irrespective of religious reasons, must not be prevented from attending school and getting an education.

I recognise that not all our educators or boards adopt a discriminatory approach to children who wear locks, and certainly not all of them would dare ask a child or parent if that child is Rastafarian before he/she is allowed into school. These boards and educators must be lauded for their non-discrimination and inclusiveness in recognising that education is the right for all our children. But there are boards and educators that do discriminate. They use every loophole or ambiguity they can under the Education Act, and the regulations thereto, to make rules that are devoid of logic, regressive, and in some instances (like the wearing of locks) downright oppressive.

Is it that these boards and educators would wish for our children to wear a sigil identifying themselves as Rastafarian to be allowed an education? Such a system would be comparable to the Nazi regime of 1930s Germany in which Jews were asked to brand themselves by wearing the Star of David for all to see them, know them, and exact prejudice against them. If that is the system under which these boards and educators wish to operate then perhaps our teachers, judges, ministry staff, myself as a minister, and all Jamaicans, should wear the said badge or be made to declare that we are Rastafarian before entry into the workplace or to access social benefits, less we be compelled to cut our locks or chased out if we refuse to comply. Fortunately, the said Act and regulations are presently being amended.

The fact is, as a nation, we cannot allow those educators and boards with prejudices steeped in a history of colonial hate and anti-blackness to make rules that single out, embarrass, discriminate, or are otherwise oppressive against our children who wear locks. There is nothing unclean or unhygienic about locks. Locks do not facilitate the spread of lice, neither do they disturb the educational process. In our modern, democratic Jamaica, locks are more than religion; they are a symbol of our cultural heritage, of our identity and race as a Jamaican people, and of our expression of our beautiful black hair in its natural state devoid of Eurocentric virtues of style, cleanliness, and appropriateness.

Our Government is one that believes that all views and all people must contend in the true spirit of inclusiveness; that the rights of all citizens must be respected; and that all children, whether they wear locks or not, must have the right to an education. It stands to reason that all boards and educators should adhere to the overarching non-discriminatory policy of the Government that respects the rights of all Jamaicans. It is time for all stakeholders across the educational and cultural sectors to support and agree to a revised dress and grooming policy for our children that expressly states that: “No child should be denied access to an education on the basis of that child wearing locks (full stop).” Schools do need rules to maintain order and discipline. However, rules that are discriminatory, oppressive and serve no educational, disciplinary or meaningful social function should be discarded.

Alando N Terrelonge is a attorney-at-law, Member of Parliament, and minister of state in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information. Send comments to the Observer or antlonge@gmail.com, @terrelonge2016.