A mum and dad claim their teenage daughter has been treated “like a prisoner” by her school because she dyed her hair lilac.
Kadey Wood, 12, was placed in isolation after arriving at school on the first day of term, due to her newly-coloured do.
Mum Carla Wood said Kadey, a Year 8 pupil at Meopham School, Kent, coloured her hair along with friends at the beginning of the summer holidays. While the other teens’ dye washed out, Kadey’s is still visible.
“She’s not even allowed out at lunch or break to see her friends - her lunch is brought to her,” said the 29-year-old mum-of-three.
“She can only leave to use the toilet.”
The school has said they are sticking by their uniform policy, which states hair must be a natural colour.
Wood said she is keeping Kadey at home until the colour fades.
The mum said: “We were told if other children see her walking round the school building they might think it is ok to dye their hair.
“It’s going to affect her learning not being with each subject teacher and not socialising with her peers.
“It has upset her because she does like school and being able to see her friends.
“I feel this will be much more detrimental to her education than a lilac tint in her hair.”
The mum said she cannot use a shop-bought product to remove the colour from Kadey’s hair as it cannot be used over her natural-looking bleach highlights, and a trip to the hairdresser will cost up to £60. The lilac dye cost £9 for two packs in Superdrug.
Dad Chris Wood, 36, said he was “fuming” and added: “I understand they try to enforce conformity to all the students but this is just plain ridiculous.
“Locking her up in solitary confinement? Like prison? It’s not acceptable to treat a child like this.”
Kadey’s mum claims the school has refused to let her daughter take work home and is classing the time off as ‘unauthorised absence’ - meaning the parents could face a fine.
Suzanne Dickinson, head teacher at Meopham School, said: “We have extremely high standards at Meopham School.
“Our uniform policy clearly states that ‘hair must be of natural colour’.”