Cape Town - The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) says it is dealing with cultural beliefs at schools as best as it can.
This after the niece of ANC member in the legislature Pat Lekker was sent out of the classroom of Glendale Secondary School in Mitchells Plain for wearing a green headband prescribed to cure an ongoing sickness.
“My niece has been sick for the past three years and has had to undergo a traditional process. Last week Wednesday, she was given a green headband at church to wear on her head, stomach and toes,” Lekker said.
“Despite the valid reason for wearing the headband, the school still saw fit to send her out of school, undoubtedly discriminating against her. Wanting to remedy the situation, I requested a meeting with the principal.”
Lekker, who is also a member of the school governing body (SGB), said an initial attempt to resolve the situation fell through when the school’s secretary denied her a meeting with the principal, redirecting her to the SGB.
In response to the incident, the WCED said that schools need to ensure that any religious or spiritual belief system does not disrupt the core business of the classroom, and that is teaching and learning.
Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “A Grade 10 learner arrived at the school wearing a green headband, which is said to prevent headaches.
“The learner refused to take off the headband and was, therefore, requested to write the test in an isolated room within the school building.
“It was not outside ‘in the sun’ as falsely reported. The learner’s parents have been advised that they can request a deviation from the school code of conduct which the SGB will consider, based on the learners’ spiritual beliefs.”
The incident at the school comes a few weeks after two incidents at two other schools in Cape Town – Portlands Primary (also in Mitchells Plain) and Immaculata Girls’ High School in Wynberg.
The schools recorded incidents where learners were said to have experienced traditional callings, thrusting the schools into a world they are not wholly familiar with.
In addressing the incidents, the WCED said that it did not view ancestral callings as identical experiences and recognised that callings require the professional support required for that particular calling.
“The same applies to other religions. Learners who require support need to seek professional support within that religion or spiritual sector. It isn’t the responsibility of a school to give such support and advice. Our teachers are not trained to do so.
“However, no school should discriminate against any learner with regards to equity, diversity of religious beliefs, culture, tradition and customs.
“That’s the advice we give all schools because they need to ensure that the learner is taken care of, as well as all other learners. The spiritual journey of one individual should not impact the educational rights of other learners,” Hammond said.