A FATHER has hit back after his 15 year-old daughter, banned from school for putting blonde streaks in her hair, was criticised online.

Jenna Hewlett has been told she is not welcome back at Christopher Whitehead Language College until she changes the colour of her hair.

Opinion on the Worcester News website is divided on whether or not she should have been banned - 54 comments were posted in reaction to the original story by yesterday morning.

The 15 year-old of Margaret Road, Lower Wick, is in her final year of school and preparing for GCSE exams, as reported on the front page of the Worcester News on Wednesday.

She has refused to have her hair changed and on Friday, September 14 her mother was sent a letter saying she was no longer welcome in class.

Her dad Andy Hewlett sprang to his daughter's defence on our website.

He said: "If I thought my child was doing anything wrong I would deal with it quite swiftly and I am fully aware that schools need rules. I am and nor is her mother one of these parents who think their children can do no wrong. My children respect me and I turn return respect them as individual thinking human beings, not sheep."

On the Worcester News website one reader, calling themselves Private Sector Worker, said: "I wholeheartedly agree with the school's position. If they relax the rules for one person it will lead to a revolt amongst all the other pupils. The school will end up looking more like a fashion and hair technology college rather than a dedicated centre of academic learning."

But one reader, calling themselves Disbelief, said: "Since when did the colour or style of somebody's hair have an affect on their academic ability? Personally I do not think Jenna's hair colour or style is extreme."

Carol Farrell from Worcestershire said the headmaster had a "right" to decide what was not acceptable in school.

She said: "The headteacher should have full backing here and not be swayed by the everyone has human rights brigade'.

Mich from Worcester said her hair was "absolutely fine".

He added: "Maybe if it were pink' or tasteless then that would be a problem. I understand the school has to make a stance but this is a step too far in my opinion."

One reader, Jess from Worcester, said her brother was sent home from another Worcester school because he had a shaved head and was told to return only when his hair had grown back.

Alan, who also left a message on the website, said it was far more important that pupils were polite than what colour their hair was.