AN ENGLISH school has been accused of “ignorance” by parents of black children made to wear “silly” hats because their hair was cut too short.

Corpus Christi Primary School in Ernesford Grange, Coventry, says the majority of parents support the rule.

But parents of black pupils see the rule on hairstyles as discriminatory by failing to take into account the type of hair children have – with black children keeping hair short as it becomes difficult to manage when it grows long.

Zimbabwean mum Nyasha Chirairo, whose ten-year-old son Tino Chikwature has also been forced to wear one of the hats, said the rule made children ashamed of their hair.

Accusing the school of ignorance, she told the local Observer newspaper: “Tino's in a minority race at the school as it is, and this doesn't make it better.

“I always have to have a braid or a weave as I can't comb my own hair, so how can I expect Tino to grow and comb his hair when I can't even comb my own?"

Another black parent, Dorothy Beko, said it appeared lost on school authorities that short haircuts were considered “smart” among black children. Her son Shama, 9, has been forced to wear the “silly” hat, inviting laughter from other children, she said.

"Shama hasn't got a fancy hair cut, it's not like he has tram lines or anything, it's just short and tidy," Beko told The Observer. "If you're black and have a haircut like this, this is smart.

"Children have great difficulty combing it if it gets any longer, it's very painful for them."

A spokesman for Corpus Christi said the rules on uniform, jewellery and hairstyles were clearly laid out in the school's prospectus, sent to all parents before children start at the school.

The policy had been in place for a number of years, and the majority of parents supported it, the spokesman added.

"We have not excluded any children as a result of this policy, but we do want parents and carers to make sure pupils follow our school policies in order to maintain our high standards and continued positive relationships with parents.”

(additional reporting The Coventry Observer)