The Procrastinator’s Library By Kerwin Eloise

Let me first start by applauding the Ministry of Education on a rare progressive policy- yes shocking right- their seeming acceptance of the fact that hair which grows out of our heads shouldn’t be regulated in the manner that it has been. 

In big 2025, like the kids say, for a majority black island to decide that predominantly black and protective hairstyles are okay is rather surprising, despite its commendability. But the acceptance that out of the many reasons which children may be deterred from partaking in school activities, that their hair shouldn’t be one is worthy of praise.

The reality of this hair debate is rooted in racism, classism and colonialism even at the most upper echelons of elite education on the island. The idea of neatly groomed has often been enforced primarily on the brown and black population whilst their more lighter counterparts- with the good hair- escaped the scrutiny often attached to the former.

In the United States some states have attempted to champion the CROWN ACT to ban discrimination on hair texture and styles such as braids, locs, twists and Afros because they understand the cultural and historical significance of our hair.

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Here, on island it appears that those who pioneered the acts of civil disobedience against the archaic and rooted in colonial thinking rules of the nation’s schools may have struck a noble blow. For far too long we have been enthralled by the colonial mindset that perpetuated the European standard beauty where straightened hair was valued over our natural kinky hair, and it is not shocking that the school at the center of many of the hair rows was SMC. Holding forth to those ancient and frankly damaging concepts of self-image in the name of professionalism and deportment when we have had outstanding citizens of all levels who have not been held back by their hair.

Rastafarian children have long been a target of these archaic and discriminatory practices, policed  against their culture and religion to appease a small minority who are rigid in their traditional stances around hair. Moreover, the retention of such a policy has laid the ministry and schools by extension open to questions of discrimination on racial and religious bias. The decision to relax the standards of even having covered hair is a great boon to the Rastafarians kids as there is little reason to continue asking for their hair to be covered to enter school or engage in school activities.

Another element which is to be considered is the fact that in today’s climate, where MPs are dressed to the 9’s in suits that attract heat, and  we continue to adhere to clothing ideas unsuited for a tropical country- a deviation but like Sophia Petrillo I digress-  the promotion  of heat attracting hairstyles over natural ones is a flawed one.

The shackles of yesterday which persist even among teachers who seem unable to distinguish between what’s in someone’s head versus what grows on their head will still be seen as they try to reconcile their ideas of what should be decorum and appropriate versus what it will be. Yes, we may fear that students may test the boundaries of expression and acceptance, especially when it comes to braids and hair extensions and for sporting and other events. But these worries pale in comparison to the poor treatment we have dished out to the nation’s children.

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We may not know exactly what prompted the reversal, or perhaps rethinking is a better word, on the hair policies but it is definitely welcomed.

Teachers have one less job to perform.

Now if only they’d hire more social workers, counsellors and the like to further reduce our workload.