Japanese school mocked after punishing student for plucking her eyebrows
- A 14-year-old student was ordered to study on her own for 3 days after teachers concluded she breached school policy by trimming her eyebrows
- Critics argue the school’s rules are unreasonable, while some internet users suggested the girl sue the board of education for ‘harassment’
The student at a junior high school in the town of Kurume, in Fukuoka Prefecture, was snared when teachers carried out a spot check to determine if pupils were in compliance with the school’s rules on dyed hair and make-up, the Abema Times news site reported.
And while the teachers confirmed her hair was its natural black colour and she was not wearing any make-up, she was ordered to study entirely on her own for three days after concluding she had trimmed her eyebrows – which goes against school policy. The teen was also required to write a self-criticism.
The girl was punished in April but the case only came to light when it was recently brought to the attention of the local education authority.
Miki Hata, the director of the town’s board of education, told the news site, “I think the school is concerned that eyebrows and hairstyles are a distraction to children in their developing years and could contribute to them neglecting their essential studies.”
What is wrong with someone trimming their eyebrows?
City councilwoman Mutsumi Kaneko disagreed, asking, “What is wrong with someone trimming their eyebrows? And then she was told she could not go into the classroom and had to study by herself? Will her eyebrows stop growing if she is in a separate room? The school’s rules are completely unreasonable.”