The family, which cannot be named because of a suppression order, filed a complaint with the Anti-Discrimination Commission in Queensland state in February last year, saying the Brisbane private school Ormiston College had refused to admit their 12-year-old son, the APP reported today. Headmaster Brett Webster said the school had a strict uniform policy.

On alleged demands that the Sikh student cut his hair and remove his “patka”, he said “the offer (for admission) was made with the usual school rules in mind and so there was not a request from the school that the family do anything in particular.” The family’s solicitor, Scott McDougall, told AAP the boy’s parents had lodged a complaint with the Commission but no date had yet been set for a hearing.

The boy was now attending another private school where he was allowed to wear his turban, he said. McDougall said he did not know of any similar case of a school student being refused enrollment because of the dress requirements of his or her religion. “I’m aware there was a Sikh student who attended the (Ormiston) school in previous years before the current headmaster,” the lawyer said.