School’s order to ‘get your hair cut’ was discrimination

Date Published: 19-Feb-2009

THE Leaving Cert student who was awarded €3,500 for discrimination over his hair style has spoken of his relief that his ordeal with his former school is over.

David Knott from Clonfad was in his Leaving Cert year at Dunmore Community School when he was suspended for three months for having long hair.

He took the case to the Equality Tribunal for gender discrimination and victimisation and won a judgment against his former school. The tribunal, held in Roscommon, found that David had been caused “serious upset, disruption and inconvenience” during his Leaving Cert year.

David, who is now gainfully employed as a carpenter, was told that he had ‘a girl’s hair style’ during his 2004/2005 school term in Dunmore.

The Equality Tribunal was told that the school actually hired a barber to inspect the length of his hair. He eventually sat his Leaving Cert in Ballyhaunis Community School.

David said that it was an ordeal that he would never forget but was glad that it was now over and that he could get on with the rest of his life. Speaking through his solicitor John Mitchell, he said that his hair was naturally curly and at one point, it was pulled to emphasise its length.

The discrimination complaint was brought to the tribunal by the David’s mother Mary Knott, and states that when term began on September 1, 2004, he was told by the deputy principal Ms. O’Brien that he was to cut his hair.

When he did not comply he was called to Ms. O’Brien’s office and she allegedly referred to his “girl’s hair style”, said he was “nothing but…