Lesbian can wear boys' uniform

2003-03-16 21:15

Erika Fourie

Bloemfontein - A lesbian from Bloemfontein, who refused to go to school because she was forced to wear a dress, can go back - wearing a boy's uniform, according to the education department.

Soliwe Ndamane, 17, from Lereko Secondary School, said she was proud of being lesbian and was used to wearing trousers. "I have been wearing trousers to school from grade 8," she said.

Earlier this year, her teacher and principal asked her to wear the regulation uniform to school. "I told them that if I couldn't wear the boys' uniform, I was not attending school."

Soliwe said she was glad that she could return to school, and that she wanted to become a member of the police when she was older.

Her mother, Margaret Ndamane, was also very relieved: "I thought I would have to send her to evening classes."

Thabo Khinyeli, deputy director-general of the Free State education department, said Soliwe would be allowed back at school in boys' uniform because schools were not allowed to discriminate against a pupil's sexual preferences.

"Schools have to act within the framework of the constitution," he said.

He did not believe that this incident would encourage other learners to deviate from the rules regarding uniforms.

Herklaas Smit, chief executive of the South Africa Teachers' Union in the Free State, disagreed, saying that the authority of teachers and principals was compromised by such actions.

He said the rights of pupils should have limitations and should not threaten the normal order at schools.

- Die Burger