Loulwa bint Mohammed Al Fareeh, a 3rd grader in Saudi Arabia, has
Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS), a genetic disorder characterized by deformities affecting the ears, eyes, cheekbones, and chin. The young schoolgirl completed the rest of her school years from London without any problems. However, upon starting a new academic year in Saudi Arabia, Louwla’s mother was told by a member of the school administration that no teacher would accept her daughter because she doesn’t have eyes and ears. “My daughter has minor deformities in her eyes and ear but no mental disabilities and graduated top of her class in a London school last year,” Al Fareeh’s mother said.
Louwla was rejected from the school after two days, on the basis that “her appearance will terrify and scare classmates”, as told by school officials to her parents.
بعد فصلها من المدرسة بحجة تشوهها..
وزير "#التعليم" يوجه بقبول الطالبة "لولوة" المصابة بمتلازمة "كولن". (عكاظ) pic.twitter.com/dIxLUZm9JC
— هاشتاق السعودية (@HashKSA) September 17, 2019
However, days after the student’s mother reported the case to the kingdom’s Ministry of Education and Saudi Human Rights Committee, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al Sheikh issued an urgent order to re-register the girl at a different school.