Principals react to Te Puke student growing back the beard teachers made him shave off

Te Puke High School student Brody Hide, 17, after shaving off his beard. Photo / Alan Gibson

Tauranga principals say families are well aware of school rules following a Te Puke student who alleged his human rights were breached after being told to shave off his beard.

Year 13 Te Puke High School student Brody Hide plans to grow back the facial hair his teachers told him to get rid of.

"I believe it is a breach of my human rights," the 17-year-old told NZME this week.

However, Tauranga principals say the rules are clear and are agreed to by students and their families before enrolment.

Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said the school's board of trustees had a right to set policies, which pupils and parents agree to when they enrol.

"I don't believe it is a breach of human rights," he said.

Mangan said the single-sex school had a policy that expected all boys to be clean shaven, however, there was an exception to the rule.

"We are tolerant to religious differences," he said.

The principal said a no-facial-hair policy was similar to the reasons for a school uniform.

"It helps to create consistency in image," he said.

Bethlehem College principal Eoin Crosbie agreed.

"When students enrol at a school they and their families agree to abide by school rules," he said.

Crosbie said the college had a school rule of no facial hair for all Years 7 to 13 students.

But he had made one exception for a Sikh boy after meeting with his family.

"This has not caused us issues, our community understands and respects this," Crosbie said.

The principal said school rules, including those surrounding school uniform, were put in place for welfare and safety reasons, and to put each student on an equal-footing.

"It identifies them as Bethlehem College students and it also becomes a matter of honour – honouring each other and the college by wearing their uniform well and with pride," he said.

Te Whare Kura o Mauao principal Heywood Kuka said the school puts importance on tikanga Māori, which incorporates religious beliefs.

"For Māori, having long hair for cultural reasons such as kapa haka is part of expressing oneself," he said.

"Facial hair does not really feature too much in tikanga Māori so the need to have it culturally is not apparent," he said.

However, he said the school would be sensitive to the beliefs of other cultures.

Kuka said students with long hair were expected to keep it tied back and clean cut.

"Our tauira and whānau know our standards around all these tikanga that our kura is based on, so enforcing a 'policy' is based more around respecting the standards the kura and whānau set for ourselves," he said.

Brody Hide before the beard was shaved. Photo / Supplied

Hide was hoping to meet with his principal Alan Liddle by next week.

The teenager said he had lots of positive feedback from his peers, who wanted to help Hide change the school rules.

"I am still planning to grow back my beard," he said.

In a statement, Te Puke High School principal Alan Liddle said the school's policies and procedures on the issue were detailed in the school prospectus.

"When students and their parents/caregivers choose to enrol at our school, they sign an agreement with the school stating that they will abide by the rules and regulations of the school as stated in the prospectus."

The board of trustees set policies that were reviewed regularly and students and parents/caregivers had the opportunity to present proposals on ideas and changes to consider, it said.

"No proposal has been made to the board regarding beards."

Ministry of Education deputy secretary for sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said the Ministry does not have any policy about facial hair at school.

What is right?

A Human Rights Commission spokesperson said while school boards have the discretion to set policies as they see fit, the policies must be consistent with New Zealand law.

The Courts have not ruled definitively on the issue, however, schools must carefully consider whether any rule regarding hair or appearance would breach a student's rights to freedom of expression under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.

Or if any rules would breach their rights to dignity and individual autonomy.

The Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in education where a student is treated less favourably because of one or more of the 13 prohibited grounds under the Act.

Facial or other hair was not in itself a prohibited ground.

The Commission encouraged school boards to consult with the wider community and students when setting and updating such rules.

Additional reporting - NZME