Religious headwear doesn’t comply with school uniform policy

September 2022

Mandeep* is Sikh.

Mandeep attended the open day for a Catholic high school with his son. While there, Mandeep was told by a staff member that his son could not attend the school because his head-covering and long hair did not comply with the school’s uniform policy.

Mandeep lodged a complaint of race discrimination with ADNSW.

Mandeep’s complaint was resolved when the school agreed that students could apply to be exempt from the uniform policy if the policy conflicted with the student’s religious or cultural practices.

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual.