St Michael’s have signed up to the Halo Code!
The Halo Code, created by the Halo Collective, is a voluntary code aimed at ending hair-based discrimination in schools and workplaces. Despite race-based hair discrimination being covered by the Equalities Act 2010, there are still far too many people being told their hair textures or hairstyles are unprofessional or inappropriate. Reports have shown that 58% of students will face name calling or uncomfortable questioning about their hair during their time at school. 1 in 4 Black adults have reported to have had a negative experience at school in relation to their hair texture, and 1 in 5 Black women have felt societal pressure to straighten their hair for work. The Halo Code aims to fight back against this discrimination by ensuring those that sign up to it display their dedication to changing the understanding and acceptance of Afro-textured hair, in turn helping to end a culture of discrimination faced by many Black people due to how they chose to wear or style their hair.
St Michael’s proudly support all our students in embracing their identities and cultures. For example, we celebrate World Afro Day each year. We wish to further this commitment to celebrating our unique and shared cultures and identities by following the Halo Code.
As a Halo Code school:
The Halo Code will be embedded within our existing policies on dress code and will guide future judgement regarding hair styles and textures. To find out more about the Halo Code, the Halo Collective or how you can get involved to help end race-based hair discrimination visit halocollective.co.uk