Pupils walk out in protest against ‘discriminatory school uniform policy’
Hundreds of students at a London secondary school staged a mass protest reportedly against the school’s uniform policy following claims it discriminates against Muslim and black students.
Videos on social media show scores of pupils from Pimlico Academy in Westminster, central London, chanting “we want change” after walking out of school early on Wednesday, the last day of term.
A statement purportedly on behalf of students railed against “racism, Islamophobia and transphobia” and said pupils were angry at a lack of recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The school had implemented a new uniform policy recently which stated that hairstyles that “block the views of others” would not be allowed and hijabs should not be “too colourful”, according to a Guardian report.
The protest took place throughout the morning, and several police officers were present after being called by the school.
A Union Jack flag erected outside the school was also ripped down and set alight by pupils in September last year, the newspaper reported.
The walls of the academy were also vandalised with graffiti over the weekend, with messages including "white schools for brown kids - are you mad? and “ain’t no black in the Union Jack”, according to the Independent.
Pimlico Academy has been contacted for comment.
The uniform changes came after the academy’s new principal, Daniel Smith, took over last year and a no confidence vote in him was being held by the National Education Union on Tuesday night, the Guardian reported.
There is reportedly unrest among some teachers at the school.
The National Education Union has been contacted for comment.