Achimota-Rastafari ruling will create room for 'foreign' cultures in schools - Teacher
- Achimota School has been ordered to admit Tyrone Marhguy, the dreadlock-wearing Rastafarian boy into the school
- Oheneba Nkrabea, according to the court's ruling would also be admitted
- A concerned teacher told YEN.com.gh that the ruling by the Human Rights Court is a bad precedent
Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in
A concerned teacher on Wednesday slammed the order to Achimota to admit two Rastafarian students who were rejected because of their hairstyle.
Source: Instagram
The Human Rights Court in Accra on Monday ordered the management of Achimota School to admit Tyrone Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea, the dreadlock-wearing Rastafarian boys into the school.
Delivering the court’s ruling, High Court Judge, Gifty Adjei Addo, said the refusal to admit the students infringed on their human right, right to education, and dignity.
Commenting on the development, the teacher who spoke to YEN.com.gh on the condition of anonymity described the ruling as a “bad precedent”.
“I think the ruling has set a bad precedent being that it will create room for all manner of 'foreign' cultures to be accepted in our educational institutions that will erode our long-cherished discipline in second cycle institutions,” the worried teacher told YEN.com.gh.
Citing an example, the teacher said schools should be ready to accept someone who walks barefooted and with a painted face and body since it does not affect learning.
“With this ruling, heads of institutions have been rendered lame ducks. This will adversely affect them in carrying out their duties for the fear of being sued,” the teacher added.
Meanwhile, Maana Myers, the mother of one of the Rastafarian students who won the landmark ‘dreadlock’ case against the Achimota school said at some point, she wanted to chicken out “because of pressure from family and friends.”
“I have friends who do not talk to me anymore because I refused to cut his hair,” she told Kasapa 102.5 FM as monitored by YEN.com.gh.
Myers was so emotionally distraught with the ongoing kerfuffle over the Achimota school’s refusal to admit her kid she couldn’t sleep for close to two weeks.
“I couldn’t sleep for just an hour at night,” she stated despite her being on prescription drugs from her doctor just to sleep.
And because the drugs were not working, she had to be on antidepressants for seven weeks.
Tyrone Marhguy filed a suit against the Achimota School’s decision not to admit him over their dreadlocks.
Myers described the ruling as historic saying: “Not only for Oheneba but for other students as well.”
The Achimota school demanded that both Tyrone and Oheneba cut off their dreadlock before they would be admitted into the school.
The Achimota School PTA said its revised rules and regulations from August 2020 indicate that students must keep their hair low, simple and natural.
Enjoy reading our stories? Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel! Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news.
Source: YEN.com.gh
