Schools are violating national education law by infringing upon students’ right to education over minor hairstyle issues, says lawyer
2-MIN READ2-MINAlice Yanin ShanghaiPublished: 9:00am, 1 Sep 2026Two schools in northwestern China have ignited controversy by enforcing a strict hairstyle policy on students, who may be stopped at the school gate or even turned away if they fail to comply with the requirements.
August 23 marked the first day of the new school term at Yinchuan High School and Yinchuan No 24 Middle School in Yinchuan, the capital city of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.
Viral videos revealed that several teachers were stationed at the gates of these two schools, inspecting students’ hairstyles and prohibiting entry to those who did not adhere to the hair regulations, as reported by Jinyun News.
Many students who were denied entry, along with their perplexed parents, were seen in the videos, with some parents making last-minute calls for hair styling services.
Nearby the school gates, several barbers had set up makeshift stalls to accommodate the students in need of haircuts. Reports indicated that some students were queuing for their services.
