Principal served with suspension notice

The Department of Education has also launched an independent investigation into the alleged statements made by principal.

On November 14, girls from Grade Eight to Grade 11 were called to the quad to line up for assembly.

According to a Grade Eight pupil, who was present on the day, Dr Horn said she does not have a problem with the white and Indian pupils, because she knows they wash their hair daily; she has a problem with the black girls because they wash their hair only once a month.

She apparently went on to say that washing their hair once a month makes them dirty, because it is the same as bathing only once a month.

The pupil added that Dr Horn said the girls who think that they are thick are, in actual fact, fat.

“After her statement about us being fat and not thick, I tried my best to hold back my tears, because I am big boned,” said a Grade 10 pupil.

“Unfortunately, one of the girls in my grade could not; she cried uncontrollably.”

The pupil added that the principal’s words really hurt her; she felt humiliated and that her self-esteem had been “broken”.

The Grade 10 pupil said the principal also told them not to buy cheap deodorants and aerosols, because that is what makes them stink, and that they should rather use roll-ons, like Shield.

“How are we supposed to look at the rest of the school after what she said to us?” asked the pupil.

To make matters worse, on November 15, all the black girls who had chemically straightened hair had to wash it with Sunlight Liquid, in the girls’ bathrooms.

The Grade 10 pupil said she was lucky she had washed her hair the day before, so did not have to wash it with the liquid soap.

She was, however, told to get her hair plaited, or else she would not be allowed to write her exams.

“She runs this school like the army; this is not her school, it is the public’s; I want her fired,” said an angry parent.

“The department can confirm that the principal of the school has been served with a notice of suspension,” said Department of Education spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane.

“Equality and dignity are the cornerstones of the Constitution.

“The department is disturbed by allegations of racial discrimination at the school.”

She added that an independent investigation has been instituted into the matter, and its outcome will determine the department’s action.

“We cannot compare ethnic hair to Indian or white hair, the textures are different,” said professional hairstylist Ncumisa Gobeni.

She added that washing chemically treated hair on a daily basis will lead to hair loss; because the hair is made finer and softened by the chemicals, washing it daily will make it fall out.

“Ethnic hair is straightened once a month and is treated at the salon every two weeks, but people can wash it at home if the need arises,” she concluded.