Many Sikhs follow the practice of “kesh”—allowing one’s hair to grow naturally out of respect for God’s creation. The boy, a pupil at Alexandra McLeod Primary School in the suburb of Abbey Wood, had never before had his hair cut, reported News Shopper.
A day after the incident on May 21, the child’s parents posted on social media saying they were “deeply hurt.”
“My son is only five years old, a Sikh boy and I have never cut his hair, but someone in school today cut his hair with scissors,” the Facebook post read.
“My boy is really upset and saying I’m not going to school now, and we’re really scared to send him back.
“I don’t understand where a reception [first year] pupil can get scissors and it’s shameful. It’s bullying which should not be accepted.
The post added that the child’s parents did not “know what to do to secure him in future.”
The Sikh Federation UK wrote on Twitter that it was “totally unacceptable and devastating” for the boy’s “sacred unshorn hair” to be cut by another pupil. In a May 23 post, the federation requested an “urgent meeting” with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to discuss this case and “anti-Sikh hate” in schools.
Social media users were quick to voice their support for the family, describing the incident as an “assault” and “absolutely disgraceful.”
Alexandra McLeod Primary School said it had occurred after most of the staff had left the site.
The school also said it had held a meeting with parents, members of the local Sikh community and the group South London Sikh Youth.
Newsweek has contacted the school for further comment.
South London Sikh Youth issued a statement saying it had held a “constructive first meeting” on May 24 with the school’s principal and a legal representative from the local authority, Greenwich Council.
“The incident will be fully investigated and the next meeting is arranged for Thursday. We are assured actions will be taken to support the child and his family and to prevent similar incidents in the future,” the group said on Twitter.
“The parents request that, as the matter is now being dealt with, people continue to respect [their] privacy.”
Parmvir Singh of the Khalsa Foundation, a British Sikh organisation, called the incident “unacceptable.”
“The education system within the UK doesn’t take the bullying of Sikh children seriously,” Singh told Sikh24. “We know from recent incidents that many of these cases keep happening and there is a reoccurring theme. The schools don’t educate their students on diversity and the Sikh religion, nor do they take firm action against racism against Sikh children often enough.
“Bullying still happens, and it must be stopped. Years and years of bullying of Sikh children who suffer in silence is not acceptable. The bullying will lead to more events for Sikh children defending themselves, which will only be a reaction to the issue and not deal with the root cause, which is the lack of awareness within schools around the Sikh faith,” he added.
“My plea to all educational institutions is that they look to explore avenues where religious diversity is spoken about and the importance of the Sikh articles of faith … are discussed.”
