PHILIPSBURG:--- NOW Member of Parliament (MP) Lyndon Lewis has issued a strong call to all school boards, specifically Catholic school boards, to respect the pending legislation prohibiting discrimination against students based on hairstyles, respectively, long hair, as announced by Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Melissa Gumbs, during recent Parliamentary meetings.
MP Lewis stated that while the legislation will formally take effect later in the school year, schools are already expected to align with the principle that no child should be denied access to education because of their hairstyle.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, we still face situations where parents are being told their children cannot register for school due to the way their hair is styled. Education is a right, not a privilege subject to arbitrary and outdated rules,” MP Lewis emphasized.
MP Lewis would like to address all school boards, especially Catholic school boards, in Sint Maarten, whom he has been receiving numerous complaints about regarding the pending legislation. “I’m urging them to lead by example and adhere to both the letter and the spirit of the pending legislation”.
“I remind the Catholic school boards that even within their statutes and symbols of faith, they revere depictions of Jesus Christ with long hair. If the Son of God himself is shown with flowing hair, it is contradictory and discriminatory to deny children access to learning based on long hair,” MP Lewis said.
He further noted that Catholic schools, as institutions entrusted with shaping the minds and values of the nation’s children, have a moral duty to demonstrate inclusivity and compassion.
“I call on Catholic schools to open their doors fully, without prejudice, to all parents and students, regardless of hairstyle. Long hair does not determine one’s education or character. Let us not perpetuate practices that hurt children and families. Instead, let us embrace a more modern and humane approach to education in Sint Maarten,” Lewis concluded.
MP Lewis added that he will continue to support a more modern-day society and the legislation against hair discrimination and expects all schools (public and private) to respect and implement this progressive policy without delay.
