Ella Harding, 14, was sent home from Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes within an hour of starting her first day back. Her red hair and false eyelashes were deemed “against uniform policy.” According to the school’s policy, hair color should closely match a student’s natural tone and be a single color.
Ella’s mother, April Harding, argued that her daughter’s low self-esteem led her to dye her hair red, a color she has worn for the past two years. April stated, “That’s the color that makes her feel comfortable.” She added, “Ella has complex mental health issues, many related to her appearance.”
In a separate incident, Evie Smith, 10, was excluded from Kincraig Primary School in Blackpool due to her Cruella de Vil-inspired hairstyle. Evie had changed her hair to match her favorite singer, Melanie Martinez, in anticipation of an upcoming concert.
Evie’s mother, April Smith, 35, said she plans to maintain the hairstyle until the concert and will home-school her daughter during this period.
Kincraig Primary headteacher Karen Appleby commented, “Kincraig Primary School, like all schools, has a clear uniform policy that we expect our pupils to follow. Sometimes, students arrive with hairstyles or uniforms that do not comply with our policy. When this happens, we contact parents and request the necessary changes.
“For this case, it is important to note that Evie has not been suspended. Our main goal is to keep students learning with their peers. We will work with Evie’s mother to ensure she returns to class as soon as possible.”