Fairfield Arise to the Halo Collective

Fairfield is delighted that its work around the identity and promotion of hair importance has been recognised with the awarding of the Halo Status. Students belonging to ARISE (Anti-Racism in Schools and Education) have worked hard to gain this status including the introduction of ‘The Big Hair Assembly’ to all students. The Halo Collective aims to end hair discrimination for good, as instances of unfair treatment towards people with Black hair remains somewhat of a battleground in schools throughout the UK.

Black students are still being excluded because their hair is too short, too long, too big or too full; whilst they aspire to reconnect with their heritage, they’re being held back which is why the Halo Collective is such an important movement.

Cashan Campbell, Assistant Vice Principal at FHS comments: “This is a really exciting moment for our school. We’ve been doing a lot of work around identity and the promotion of hair importance, and for this to be recognised by the Halo Collective is a real accolade.

“I would like to thank our ARISE team, especially Sienna, Ria, Ziham and Frances for their sterling work on this initiative, one of their many projects designed to encourage inclusivity and stamp out anti-racism through education.”

The students explain further: “We heard examples in other schools where hair culture is not accepted, so we wanted to take steps to officially recognise Fairfield and how inclusive it is. ARISE supports all races so the Halo Collective was an easy choice for us.”

Please see https://halocollective.co.uk/ for further info:

“We are an alliance of organisations and individuals working to create a future without hair discrimination, founded by young Black organisers from The Advocacy Academy.

Race-based hair discrimination has been illegal in the UK since the Equalities Act became law in 2010, and yet it still happens all the time.

For too long, Black people have been told that our hair textures and hairstyles are inappropriate, unattractive, and unprofessional. We’ve been suspended from school, held back in our careers, and made to feel inferior by racist policies and attitudes.

Together, we are fighting for the protection and celebration of Black hair and hairstyles.”

PHOTO CAPTION: From left to right Ziham, Sienna, Miss Cashan Campbell, Ria and Frances