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UK mother claims her Sikh son denied admission by schools
WSN Network

LONDON: A UK provincial Department of Education will investigate allegations by an Indian national that her son was turned away by two Durban schools because of his religion, The Times of London reported.

Beena Singh, a Sikh, said she applied for her son, Harkrit, to be admitted to Glenwood High School and Durban High School last month but claimed both schools rejected her application on the grounds that her son had long hair and wore a turban.

She subsequently succeeded in getting him admitted to Durban's Crawford College.

"He has been emotionally scarred by this, but he is very happy at his new school. He is a good cricketer and has been accepted by his peers on the cricket field," she said.

Ntokozo Maphisa, a provincial Education Department spokesman, said: "This is a serious matter and will be investigated, despite it not being reported to us.

"An official will be sent to the schools to investigate."

The Times report added that the principals of the schools have denied not only the discrimination but even said, "We never even met the boy."

Durban High School principal David Magner said: "It is totally incorrect to say that he was denied access because he is a Sikh or that he refused to cut his hair or take off his turban...The school has a proud record of religious tolerance, and boys of a variety of religions and cultures are happily accommodated."

Glenwood High School principal Trevor Kershaw said: "There was never an application filled in as far as we are aware, and therefore the application was never considered on an official level. To intimate that the application was rejected is not true at all."

Both principals said they viewed the allegations in a serious light. The Times report did not say whether there are any other Sikh boys with long hair in either school.

13 February 2008
 

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