A RACISM storm has rocked a Bulawayo girls-only private
school — Girls College — with pupils and former students coming together to
sign an online petition calling for the school head’s dismissal on racism
allegations.
The head, Mrs Les Malcolm Ross, is accused of having
subjected pupils to racist abuse, with the latest being a couple of weeks ago
where it is alleged she ordered black pupils to cut off their hair as “it takes
away their beauty”.
The online petition, hosted under change.org has to-date
been signed by more than 1 500 students, both present and former.
“We all feel the racist remarks and behaviour by Mrs Les
Ross, the headmistress at Girls’ College Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, towards the black
majority in the school must be addressed. Our girls are feeling infuriated and
diminished by her comments, conducts and systems but are afraid to speak out
because of the ‘snitching system’ that she has implemented at the school.
“We are all affected as it is, our sisters, our cousins,
our friends or our children, if not us, that have been directly (been) made to
feel inferior because of our skin colour and our beautiful God given hair.
“Our forefathers fought just so we wouldn’t have to feel
this way. You can’t tell a child that her hair ‘takes away her beauty’ or ask a
child if she ‘keeps drugs in her hair’. It’s revolting to say the least. Our
country does not take racism lightly therefore we want a public apology from
her and she should also be removed from the position of headmistress. Enough is
enough,” reads the petition.
The petition was reportedly sparked by a social media post
exposing Mrs Ross’ alleged racism tendencies, with former students coming in to
reveal their experiences under her leadership.
“Mrs Ross told the black girls at GC (Girls College) that
natural hair takes away their beauty and they should cut it, my little sister
is so upset,” reads a tweet.
The tweet attracted a host of responses, with former
students revealing that this was not the first time that she had racially
abused students at the private school.
“Some things never change, its high time she accepted that
black girls are there to stay and the majority that has kept the school
running,” wrote one Ms Nombuso Pam Malinga. Another woman who responded, Ms
Helen Moyo revealed that she left the school almost nine years ago but
witnessed that Ms Ross had back then used a number of racist statements but
nothing was done to address the matter.
“Wait, but how does cutting hair enhance beauty? What does
hair even have to do with beauty? And why does someone else’s beauty affect
her?
Honestly when I left eight to nine years ago, this was an
issue and years later, she still says such.
“I think all former Girls’ College girls (that are willing)
should get together, write something, sign it and someone can send it off.
Because most of us have heard her say this but it only takes us working
together to fight for our siblings to embrace their natural hair and rock it.
Constantly complaining about it and not taking action will allow her to
continue doing such crazy stuff,” she wrote.
Other users alleged that Mrs Ross would say black students’
hair was too big, distracting and that the other girls could not see past it.
It is further alleged that she would say the hair could attract worms and is
also used to hide drugs.
A suspected teacher, Ms Sarah Townsend, responded on the
post, claiming there was no evidence on the accusations being levelled against
Mrs Ross by the students but immediately attracted a backlash from the
students.
“I work at that school and won’t be accused of gas lighting
and soul sucking, do you indeed have evidence of these things happening at the
institution as a whole? If not, your remarks are defamatory. My career and
income could be jeopardised by your comments and I for one will not stand for
it. I am as educated as you are and, no, you do not have a mandate on
intelligence either.
“As a breadwinner for my nine-year-old daughter I won’t
have you refer to the institution I give my life to, referred to in such
disgusting and derogatory terms. Do you think I get up at 5am daily to give my
knowledge to young women as an experiment? Your comment refers to the school as
a whole and this is why I am taking this up. People, real people, with feelings
and lives and families are involved here,” she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Mrs Ross were fruitless as
she was said to be continuously out of the office, with the secretary who
answered the phone claiming that “the issue” will soon be discussed by the
school board.
In a statement, the school’s board of directors confirmed
that they investigated the matter after allegations were raised on social
media. The board, however, noted that the school has strictly regulated the
dress, appearance, conduct and demeanour of its students including their
hairstyles while at school or school functions, thereby exonerating Mrs Ross of
any wrongdoing.
“In issuing this statement the Board confirms that it has
investigated matters including the grounds upon which the unsubstantiated
initial allegation of racism was based. In doing so it has questioned Mrs Ross
and has also conferred with the School’s Uniform Committee and a representative
of the Parent’s Assembly.
“It is important to note that the College, from its
inception, has strictly regulated the dress, appearance, conduct and demeanour
of its students including their hairstyles while at school or school functions.
It has not been, and is not, the School’s policy to insist upon or to recommend
the cutting of hair by students of any race and the Board is satisfied that Mrs
Ross did not breach that policy in the manner suggested or at all,” reads the
statement.
Contacted for comment Bulawayo acting provincial education
director, Mrs Ollicah Fikelephi Kaira said while she was not aware of the
issue, she would immediately institute investigations so as to get to the
bottom of the matter.
“That is a serious matter and I will handle it with the
seriousness it deserves. If you are saying 1 500 people have signed it then it
really has to be investigated, please may you forward me the link to the
petition so that I can start investigating and I engage the school head and
board,” said Mrs Kaira. Sunday News
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