Letter of the Day | Unfinished freedom: Why Jamaica must fully embrace black hair in schools

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I write in response to The Gleaner news article, ‘Strands of Change’, which highlights an encouraging shift in school grooming policies across Jamaica. This development signals a long-overdue reconsideration of how black children – particularly boys – are permitted to express their identity through their hair.

For decades, rigid, colonial-era grooming standards have shaped school policies, often marginalising Afro-textured hair and disproportionately affecting black students. The willingness of some school administrators to revisit these rules and allow greater flexibility in hairstyles is a meaningful and commendable step towards cultural inclusion and equity. It reflects a growing recognition that educational spaces must affirm, rather than suppress, the identities of the children they serve.

At the Fi We Children Foundation, we applaud these efforts and encourage schools to go even further by embracing comprehensive reforms, such as those outlined in our Child Dignity & Inclusive School Culture Memorandum of Understanding. These include modernising grooming codes, adopting child-centred disciplinary approaches, integrating restorative justice practices, and fostering meaningful engagement among students, parents, and educators.

However, while this shift is welcome, it remains incomplete. Too often, acceptance of natural hairstyles is conditional – tied to academic performance or subject to special permissions. This approach places an undue burden on black children and undermines the very principles of dignity and equality that these reforms seek to uphold. The right to wear one’s natural hair should not be something a child must earn; it is an inherent expression of identity and culture.

Jamaica prides itself on its rich cultural heritage, much of which is rooted in African identity. Our schools must reflect this reality. True inclusion demands the full and unconditional acceptance of black hair in all its forms, free from bias or restriction.

We therefore call on the Ministry of Education, school boards, and all relevant stakeholders to take decisive, system-wide action to modernise grooming policies in alignment with children’s rights and cultural authenticity.

This is a step forward, but the work is far from finished.

AFRICKA STEPHENS

Fi We Children Foundation

astephens@fiwechildren.org