Mother takes daughter, 14, out of school in row over her purple hair

Furious mother takes 14-year-old daughter out of school after teachers put her in isolation for coming in with purple hair

  • Eva Herbert dyed her hair before returning for the new school year in Leicester
  • The 14-year-old was told her hair colour was against school rules 
  • Orchard Mead Academy said Eva would have to do her lessons in isolation 
  • Mother Claire has instead decided to pull the 14-year-old out of school  

A furious mum has taken her daughter out of school in a row with teachers over the 14-year-old’s purple hair. 

Eva Herbert dyed her hair before returning to Orchard Mead Academy in Hamilton, Leicester for the start of the new school year.

However, Eva was told her hair was against school rules and contravened the Academy’s ‘Dressed for Success’ uniform policy.   

Eva Herbert, 14, (pictured above) dyed her hair with the semi-permanent colour before returning to Orchard Mead Academy in Hamilton, Leicester, for the start of the new school year

Teachers decided Eva would have to do her lessons in isolation until the colouring issue was resolved. 

Her mum Claire said she is furious about the decision and has instead decided to pull the 14-year-old out of school. 

Ms Herbert, from Thurmaston, said the semi-permanent dye was already washing out and Eva’s hair would return to its natural brown shade in a few weeks.    

She added she is not willing to ‘put any more chemicals’ on her daughter’s hair to remove the colour and that Eva finds the whole situation ‘ridiculous.’

‘I trust that whilst this case is being resolved Eva will remain in class gaining an education, failing this if she is put in to isolation, I will personally be removing her from the school until this matter is resolved,’ Ms Herbert added.   

Teachers decided Eva would have to do her lessons in isolation until the colouring issue was resolved. Her mum Claire Herbert said she is furious about the decision and has instead decided to pull the 14-year-old out of school (Eva with her dyed hair pictured above)

Ms Herbert, who runs a salon, said her daughter has always had different hair colours. 

‘Before the summer holidays it was green and nobody at the school had a problem with it. Her hair is actually more plum than purple and it is neat and tidy in a ponytail. Her uniform is always smart but now it’s an academy they’ve got this new posh uniform policy,’ she said. 

‘…having your hair coloured can make you feel more confident but it will not affect your behaviour. Merit, character, work ethic, drive, and values should be the focus of the education system, not appearance. Hairstyles do not affect the personal growth, rate of learning, or grades of students,’ Ms Herbert added.

While off school, Ms Herbert says Eva has been doing maths work online. 

In a letter to Ms Herbert, Assistant Principal Katie Lowe Orchard Mead Academy in Hamilton, Leicester, said the school ‘reserves the right to decide what is deemed acceptable in the case of all uniform requirements and  Eva’s current hair falls short of those expectations.’ She added they were working with Eva’s parents to ‘remedy’ the situation (Eva pictured above)

In a letter to Ms Herbert, Assistant Principal Katie Lowe said the academy had high expectations for its students and that students must not have ‘extreme hair styles or colours which would be deemed unacceptable in a professional business environment.’

She said: ‘Eva’s purple hair falls short of those expectations and we would like to work together to remedy this.’

‘The academy reserves the right to decide what is deemed acceptable in the case of all uniform requirements. Eva’s current hair falls short of those expectations,’ Ms Lowe added.

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