Schoolgirl Chloe Williams sent home from Hertswood School for having faded purple hair

9:01am Friday 14th September 2012 in News By Anna Slater

Chloe, 13, has been excluded from school because of her hair colour Chloe, 13, has been excluded from school because of her hair colour

A mum is furious after her teenage daughter was excluded from school for turning up with faded purple hair.

Alexis Williams, of Rossington Avenue, Borehamwood, allowed Chloe, 13, to use a temporary hair dye in July, which had not washed out as well as hoped.

But just as the Hertswood School student was settling back into school after the summer break,  a teacher spotted her light purple locks and sent her home.

She has now not been at school since Monday, September 10 and has been told she will not be allowed back until she dyes her hair a natural colour.

Mrs Williams, a full-time carer to her disabled husband, Jonathan, was shocked with the school’s reaction.

She said: “It is an absolute disgrace.

“I do not understand how the colour of her hair could affect her learning. She is missing precious school time, it is just ridiculous.

“It feels like the school do not care. They have taken such bad attitude towards this and being far too strict.

“What makes me so mad is that the purple is practically faded, it just looks strawberry blonde or a bit red now, so I refuse to take her to the hairdresser.

“I am at a loss of what to do. This whole situation is just crazy.

“I am angry and Chloe is upset. She misses her friends and does not deserve this.”

The 34-year-old bought her daughter a packet of colour stripper before the new term, but teachers still insist the hair is too purple for her to attend school.

Mrs Williams, who also has a three-year-old son, claims many of Chloe’s peers have dyed red hair so does not understand why the rules are being applied selectively.

She has now taken to homeschooling Chloe because teachers have not e-mailed her any homework.

Jan Palmer Sayer, head teacher of the Thrift Farm Lane School, defended the school’s “fair” policy.

She told the Borehamwood and Elstree Times : “Students can dye their hair within an normal colour spectrum, such as blonde or black, but we draw the line at artificial colours.

“If they do dye it an unnatural colour we ask them to dye it back. We consulted with a hairdresser who said this is possible.

“Our stances are reasonable. I know the children want to express themselves but they must do it in a sensible way.”

Comments(27)

TFEB says...
10:30am Fri 14 Sep 12

In the time this mother has spent fussing about, getting photographs taken and contacting the paper, she could easily have had her daughter's hair coloured and the daughter could be back at school continuing her studies.

I think the mother needs a lesson in priorities.

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sdavis1970 says...
10:46am Fri 14 Sep 12

How has she only been off school since Monday 10th, considering they went back last week?

My daughter goes to Hertswood and the rules are clear, but they obviously thought they could get away with it.

You can get a bottle from Boots for around £10 that would take that colour out in one go.

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World Cup Willie says...
11:24am Fri 14 Sep 12

The rules are there to keep a certain standard.

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wearethewood says...
12:00pm Fri 14 Sep 12

willie should remember the rules especially when the referee gives a penalty against his team. willie was not happy with the rules that morning and did not set a very good standard. what was the ban

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Ms H says...
12:42pm Fri 14 Sep 12

She told the Borehamwood and Elstree Times : “Students can dye their hair within an normal colour spectrum, such as blonde or black, but we draw the line at artificial colours.

Ermmmm if your hair is naturally blonde and you dye it JET BLACK that's an artificial colour!

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World Cup Willie says...
1:15pm Fri 14 Sep 12

wearethewood wrote:
willie should remember the rules especially when the referee gives a penalty against his team. willie was not happy with the rules that morning and did not set a very good standard. what was the ban
Don't forget capital letters and question marks. Some more rules.

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lettydesign says...
1:55pm Fri 14 Sep 12

For those of you that like to judge before having the full story. I have brought a stripper and the photo you see is what is left. It would cost me over £100 to have it corrected at a salon. It was a wash in, wash out dye,so should have been gone by the end of the holidays. So was concidering her return to school before we allowed her to dye it. Most of the girls have DYED RED hair,yet they are allowed in still,Have contacted school regarding passwords for her education to continue at home and have had no reply,Instead i get the teachers slagging me off on the phone,when they think they have put me on hold! You tell me whos trying and whos NOT!!!

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TFEB says...
2:11pm Fri 14 Sep 12

Surely her hair could be died so that the purple was not noticeable?

Purple hair is very chav.

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lettydesign says...
4:28pm Fri 14 Sep 12

lol,she's 13!!! Really!!

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mr.taxpayer says...
4:54pm Fri 14 Sep 12

I cannot believe how stupid some people are. If your kid goes to a school with certain rules and you break them, you have to expect them to be sent home.

I don't know what I find more silly, the colour of the girls hair, or the ridiculous attitude of the mother.

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sdavis1970 says...
6:16pm Fri 14 Sep 12

This story is all wrong. The *real* story is that Hertswood don't treat all the kids the same.

My 15yo daughter goes to Hertswood and confirms that there are girls with bright red hair attending school.

That's the real issue - why are these girls allowed to attend?

I suspect it's because their parents would create merry hell if their little princess wasn't allowed to do exactly what they want.

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BorehamwoodsVoice says...
9:41am Sat 15 Sep 12

Woman , shut up and go and buy a wash in hair colour of a normal colour for £5 from tesco and actually take a care in your child's education .
Who cares what other colour other pupils hair is at the school
As for saying you are at a loss as what to do . Go and buy the hair dye . You don't need a salon to do it .
Get of your chavvy backside
Hell tell me where to send it and what colour you want and I will even buy it for you

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kelvin says...
5:48pm Sat 15 Sep 12

Rules are rules i am afraid,get over it.

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punky47 says...
11:32am Sun 16 Sep 12

Rules are for fools.
Anarchy for Borehamwood!

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paul@1966 says...
10:02pm Sun 16 Sep 12

Yet agan we are geting told how to lead are life's I do believe we DID win the war and the nazi lost but it seams no .
When are schools going to teach kids and stop telling parents how to bring up there kids.
This is the school that sead to me that I can ask them if my son can where snow boots in the snow ( as if I need there pernissiom ) and the next day a girl slip on ice in her school shoes and broke her arm
If my kid got sent home for hair colour I who'd be tolking to the education authorities abut there and the school duty to Educate !!!!!!!!
And there human right to have eney colour hair thay whont .

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TFEB says...
9:02am Mon 17 Sep 12

An education was wasted.

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BorehamwoodsVoice says...
9:26am Mon 17 Sep 12

Paul @1966 is a prime example of why we need more power to the schools .
Are you for real or a joke ? . I suggest you go back to school and actually pay attention this time as you are an insult to the English language .

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sdavis1970 says...
3:00pm Mon 17 Sep 12

Paul@1966:
Amazed that you got "authorities" right but failed with "any".

You might want to lay off the booze on a Sunday evening before you post any more replies.

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paul@1966 says...
6:01pm Mon 17 Sep 12

I so sorry you think I'm on the booze but I am actually DYSLEXIC and I was let down by my school and was told I am thick by my English teacher and I would end up in side by the time I was 20
But I have owned my own company for a number of years and I think it's bigot like you that need to get of the booze

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sdavis1970 says...
6:09pm Mon 17 Sep 12

Dyslexic. Right, of course. That explains it completely.

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paul@1966 says...
6:47pm Mon 17 Sep 12

I could carry on debating this,but I think my time is so much more important and I don't whont the hard working ( more than 9 week a year off ) Teachers geting up set by a adult expressing his opinion on the fact that a school and sead teachers are there to educate and not dictate and as my taxes pay there wages I Would like them to educate and not let a young girl down

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BorehamwoodsVoice says...
9:05pm Mon 17 Sep 12

Dyslexia doesn't excuse those mistakes I know as I suffer from it myself and as for your own business, I call bull**** the young girl is only being let down by her own mother and people like yourself .
Sadly Borehamwood is full of such parents which is the very reason the school needs such rules in the first place .

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mr.taxpayer says...
9:39pm Mon 17 Sep 12

paul@1966 wrote:
Yet agan we are geting told how to lead are life's I do believe we DID win the war and the nazi lost but it seams no .
When are schools going to teach kids and stop telling parents how to bring up there kids.
This is the school that sead to me that I can ask them if my son can where snow boots in the snow ( as if I need there pernissiom ) and the next day a girl slip on ice in her school shoes and broke her arm
If my kid got sent home for hair colour I who'd be tolking to the education authorities abut there and the school duty to Educate !!!!!!!!
And there human right to have eney colour hair thay whont .
Love the way that all follow up replies are perfectly spelt and punctuated.

Part time dyslexia perhaps!!?

Seriously though, if you were for real, then you are a real example of why kids need educating properly and why some adults shouldn't be parents.

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punky47 says...
1:31pm Tue 18 Sep 12

"Are all the kitchens units in Borehamwood the same?"

Being sent home from school for having a bit of colour in your hair!?! Da Luminati have taken over! Should be sent home for NOT dying your hair or not having a piercing, wearing proper uniform or for showing any signs of becoming a boring grey thing that writes to Borehamwood Times telling about what a good kid he/she was. Must have forgot to rebel in any way at all.
The school is only lining 'em up for The Hart & Spool and like. Good way to make peeps wanna leave education ASAP. Maybe Tim Martin should sponsor Hertswood. All the kids should unite against the dictators and all go in rainbowed-up and with FYIWDWYTM tattoos, this town needs a revolution!

"Yes, all the kitchens units in Borehamwood are the same - they just made us think we had a choice"

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=qs35t2xFq
dU

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Ladygooner says...
7:54pm Wed 19 Sep 12

TFEB wrote:
In the time this mother has spent fussing about, getting photographs taken and contacting the paper, she could easily have had her daughter's hair coloured and the daughter could be back at school continuing her studies. I think the mother needs a lesson in priorities.
I think this is dusgusting, I had a similar problem with my son getting a very small eyebrow bar which was being covered by a plaster. To cut a long story short, my Son went on to get a law degree at uni and is now working as a Detention officer for the Transport police and a Special Constable with Herts police. The school need to look at their policies, as where does it say that having a faint dye on your hair or your eyebrow pierced will prevent you from learning and furthering your education.

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mr.taxpayer says...
8:28pm Wed 19 Sep 12

Ladygooner wrote:
TFEB wrote:
In the time this mother has spent fussing about, getting photographs taken and contacting the paper, she could easily have had her daughter's hair coloured and the daughter could be back at school continuing her studies. I think the mother needs a lesson in priorities.
I think this is dusgusting, I had a similar problem with my son getting a very small eyebrow bar which was being covered by a plaster. To cut a long story short, my Son went on to get a law degree at uni and is now working as a Detention officer for the Transport police and a Special Constable with Herts police. The school need to look at their policies, as where does it say that having a faint dye on your hair or your eyebrow pierced will prevent you from learning and furthering your education.
I'll cut an even longer story short.

Rules are rules.. If your son is now a copper, he should understand what you obviously don't.

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Ladygooner says...
12:49pm Thu 20 Sep 12

I still disgree with the school and would stand by my Son even now. At the time when he was sent home from the 6th formfor having an eyebrow piercing, which as i said was covered over with a plaster, there were girls with dangling earrings and belly piercings who were not excluded from school. If the school are going to make rules and policies, they should make sure they apply to EVERYONE not just a chosen few.

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