An 8-year-old boy named Farouk James could be deprived from quality education due to the strict school regulations which won\u2019t allow him to attend classes unless he has his hair cut.<\/p>\n
The strict school regulations, many of which are found ridiculous both by children and parents, sometimes limit the students\u2019 needs to stand out from the crowd and be unique. At times, these regulations kill the youngsters\u2019 creativity and force them to fit inside the box and not think outside of it.<\/p>\n
The young Londoner in question, James, received plenty of offers from modeling agencies to be a child model because of his cuteness and his impressive mane. Following photo sessions in New York and Italy, James is now making a living as a kid model.<\/p>\n
Sadly, his long hair is the reason why this young boy was rejected from several colleges.<\/p>\n
His mother, Bonnie Miller, explained that since the boy\u2019s grandfather is Ghanaian, they waited for three years before they were to have James\u2019 hair cut, as per tradition. But then, the boy got attached to his hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that point he was attached \u2014 and so was I, to be honest \u2014 with his beautiful hair,\u201d Bonnie told CBS News. \u201cWe just kept the hair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie believes that the UK schools, which allow girls to have long hair but prohibit boys from having one, violate children\u2019s human rights.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will not give up trying to persuade governments to put legislation in place to protect children from these outdated, punishing rules,\u201d Bonnie wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cFarouk hasn\u2019t done anything wrong, and YOU REJECT HIM! He will say good bye to his friends as they all get accepted into the schools he so desperately wants to attend.\u201d<\/p>\n
She even started a petition on Change.org to outlaw hair prejudice in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re getting a real team together and calling it the Mane Generation,\u201d Bonnie said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to fight this until these rules get changed. And it\u2019s globally, not just domestically in the U.K.\u201d<\/p>\n
James\u2019 Instagram account, which his mom manages, is followed by a quarter of a million people.
\nHowever, not all of his followers agree with Bonnie. On the contrary, they sometimes receive hateful comments.<\/p>\n
After an appearance on the U.K.\u2019s This Morning on which Bonnie spoke of the family\u2019s struggles to find a suitable school for her son, they started receiving mail with hurtful comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis week is mental health week, so I\u2019m surprised to be receiving lots of negative comments about Farouk\u2019s hair,\u201d Bonnie wrote in May last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cFarouk\u2019s hair is a God given part of him and he will not be cutting it to appease anyone, just as he does not keep it long at my request either.\u201d<\/p>\n