An exclusive private school that refused to enrol a Sikh student unless he cut his hair and removed his turban has apologised and is reviewing its uniform rules as part of an out-of-court settlement.
Brisbane's Ormiston College was taken to Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Tribunal earlier this year after demanding the 12-year-old boy conform to the school's uniform code and agree to cut his hair and remove his turban - putting him at risk of excommunication from the religion.
The school's board - which included former Bjelke-Petersen attorney-general Paul Clauson - endorsed the stance against the boy, which outraged Australia's 50,000-strong Sikh community and drew criticism from around the world.
The boy, who could not be identified because of a suppression order, enrolled at another private Brisbane school after his family moved suburbs when they refused to bow to the Ormiston College demands.
The Anti-Discrimination Tribunal case was the first of its kind involving a Sikh student in Australia, although a British court found in a favour of a Sikh student in a similar trial more than 25 years ago.
An out-of-court settlement was reached in recent weeks after the school agreed to issue a public apology and pay the family undisclosed compensation. Ormiston College yesterday confirmed the settlement, which thwarts a public trial in the tribunal next month.
"Ormiston College has apologized for any hurt that may have resulted from the decision, and have undertaken to review their enrollment practices and uniform policy to ensure that it does not act inbreach of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Queensland)," the statement said.
The family's lawyer, Scott McDougall of the Caxton Legal Center, said the family was happy with the outcome of the complaint.
"At all times they were acting in the best interests of the broader community," he said, "and were concerned about the welfare of the school's reputation, as well as the impact on the Sikh community.
"It is disappointing that this family had to revisit the issue in Australia to guarantee access forthe wider Sikh community to an education of their choice without having to abandon theirreligious practices and identity."
In March, Ormiston headmaster Brett Webster told The Australian the school would fight the case.
Asked if he regretted the hardline stance against the boy, Mr Webster yesterday said: "The decision of the college was not intended to cause any hurt.
"We have agreed to review our enrollment practices to ensure we are aligned with the Anti-Discrimination Act.
"We take that very seriously, but we have not yet undertaken that review."
