Australian Christian College Moreton’s haircut policy rules are clear and parents should follow them – Kylie Lang

A Pacific Islander family is upset that their son’s southeast Queensland college won’t bend its rules for their customs. But they should have reviewed school policy before enrolling and, if they couldn’t work with it, chosen another school, writes Kylie Lang.

Wendy Taniela with her five-year-old son Cyrus Taniela. The mother says his Caboolture school, Australian Christian College Moreton, told them it had to be cut despite his hair cutting ceremony, which is part of his father’s Cook Islands and Niuean heritage, being still a year away Monday. Picture: AAP image, John Gass

HERE we go again - another family wants another exception to a school rule because it doesn’t suit them.

The Australian Christian College Moreton is right to stand its ground on a haircut policy that is not only reasonable but also applies to all students.

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And the parents of cute little Cyrus Taniela would do well, especially by their son, to have his bun lopped off now instead of in two years’ time.

Why wait until the boy is seven for him to comply with rules that his classmates are able to follow without incident?

The Pacific Islander family is upset that the college won’t bend for them. But they should have reviewed school policy before enrolling and if they couldn’t work with it, chosen another school.

Yes, we are a multi-cultural society and, yes, it would be wrong to discriminate on the basis of race, but the child is clearly welcome at the school – it is just the bun on top of his head that isn’t.

And that’s the school’s prerogative.

What’s more, it has taken positive steps to develop relationships with Islander people and an understanding of their customs, as principal Gary Underwood has outlined on the college’s Facebook page.

Cyrus Taniela, 5, is due to have his hair cutting ceremony, which is part of his father’s Cook Islands and Niuean heritage, when he’s seven. (AAP image, John Gass)

Early in 2019, Mr Underwood appointed a cultural team leader who has devised programs and been “working to connect students with the various cultures represented at the college”.

“Further, to be consistent,” he said, “all students had to conform to the board-approved rules: ‘Boys’ hair is to be neat, tidy, above the collar and must not hang over the face. Extreme styles, ponytails and buns are not permitted’.”

It can’t be any clearer than that.

Cyrus’s mother Wendy Taniela claims “we had never had a school interview with the Principal or anyone who mentioned this to us”.

If the child did actually present for an interview, and if at that time staff didn’t mention the conflicting hair style, then that’s a missed opportunity on the school’s part.

But, ultimately, it rests with parents to be informed, and a quick perusal of the school policy, as any prospective mum or dad would have done that.

For the family to be contacting the Queensland Human Rights Commission and for the Cook Islands Council to be raising a mental health defence in order to let the boy keep his bun is ridiculous.

Abide by the school rules or go elsewhere. Simple.