Mum Condemns School for Sending Daughter Home Over Dyed Hair and False Eyelashes
A mother has expressed outrage after her 14-year-old daughter, Ella Harding, was sent home on her first day back at Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, for having dyed red hair and wearing false eyelashes. Ella, a Year 10 student, was suspended within an hour of arriving at school on Thursday for violating the academy’s strict uniform policy, which requires students’ hair to be “all one color and close to the student’s natural hair tone.”
This is not the first time Ella has faced disciplinary action for similar reasons. According to her mother, April, Ella spent 40 percent of last year either in isolation or suspended for similar “violations.” April, deeply upset by the school’s decision, explained that Ella’s dyed hair and false lashes are linked to her “complex mental health problems around the way she looks.”
April shared that her daughter suffers from trichotillomania, a condition where she pulls out her eyelashes as a form of self-harm. As a result, Ella wears false eyelashes to feel more comfortable. Additionally, Ella dislikes her natural blonde hair and has dyed it red for the past two years to boost her self-esteem, told Daily Express.
April stated that despite the red hair and false lashes, Ella had complied with the rest of the school uniform. She criticized the school for “denying my daughter an education” and punishing her for her appearance, which she claims is worsening Ella’s mental health. After being sent home, Ella was reportedly distraught, sobbing and refusing to eat. April noted that her daughter also suffers from an eating disorder.
Describing Ella as “hard-working, bright, and introverted,” April emphasized that her daughter is “never disruptive” in class. Ella’s council support worker, who assists her with mental health challenges, has attempted to explain the situation to the school. Oakgrove School has yet to issue an official statement, and when approached by MK Citizen for comment, they declined to respond.