[lg policy] South Africa: Girls demand policy change

[Harold Schiffman]

 Girls demand policy change 2016-09-06 06:00

Gary Van Dyk @Gvdcapjazz
[image: Learners at Sans Souci make their feelings felt during a protest
outside the school on Friday. PHOTO: Edrea du Toit]

Learners at Sans Souci make their feelings felt during a protest outside
the school on Friday. PHOTO: Edrea du Toit

     ·     ·

While the translation of Sans Souci to English means “care free”, the
famous school in Newlands has been accused of some chronic uncaring.

Since last week learners at the institution took to the streets to protest
the school’s code of conduct relating to hairstyles and language with calls
from former and present learners for a change in these policies.

On Friday 2 September, learners from the school were joined by supporters
from other schools in the area, including Livingstone, Westerford, Groote
Schuur, Claremont and Gardens Commercial.

“It’s 2016 and our children have to do this for their rights,” says a
parent that did not want to be named.

“The school has been getting away with this too long because this matter of
language and hair has been a problem for some time. Every year we are told
that it will be dealt with an nothing happens. Well now I hope they take it
more seriously.”

A memo read out by the students states: “Institutional violence and
systemic racism enacted upon us by the school is not new. We have hidden
our experiences in the kinks of our hair and swallowed the languages of our
mothers into our throats. Mrs Murray we ask you to step aside. We have been
berated by you and marginalised by you. You have enforced upon us the kind
of structural violence that requires healing of the soul. You have
characterised us as reminding you of the Ugandan gorillas you saw on safari
and mocked our Afros. You have been the gatekeeper of the school’s
oppression.”

A former learner also pointed out that there was some major flaws in the
“language” policy. “What kind of school tells you that you cannot speak
your home language to friends at school? And it even extends to when you
leave the school and in your uniform.”

The Western Cape Education Department has also stepped in to sort out the
situation.

On Friday Western Cape Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer sent a
delegation to the school.

“The delegation spent the day speaking to learners, staff and former
learners at the school. The discussions forms an important part of the
investigation into the recent serious allegations of racism and
discrimination at the school. I am extremely concerned about some shocking
allegations that were brought to my attention. I am equally concerned that
they say that they sent a complaint to the Department in 2011 which was
seemingly not acknowledged and yielded no change.”

Schäfer adds that the WCED Safe Schools Directorate is also arranging
counselling to be available for any learners who have been traumatised by
the events this week and prior events.
“While I am fully aware that I do not determine schools’ codes of conduct,
I was of the view that it has taken so long for the policy to change to
allow for cultural differences that as long as the girls look neat there is
nothing wrong with braids. I trust that this will form part of the
discussion in formulating the new policy. I want to see a new code of
conduct by the end of September adopted by the governing body after an
inclusive process has been followed.”

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Local/Peoples-Post/girls-demand-policy-change-girls-demand-policy-change-girls-demand-policy-change-20160905

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