Teacher Cuts Female Student's Hair at SMKN 2 Garut, Komnas Perempuan Reminds of the Importance of Dialogue Spaces

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Deputy Chair of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), Dahlia Madanih, has reminded of the importance of creating dialogue spaces with parents and students in school disciplining processes.

“The school side is important to build dialogue spaces with parents and students to build awareness in developing character to achieve educational goals,” she said in a written statement on Thursday (7/5/2026).

“Building high character and morality is actually important to be developed from awareness, not from coercion, especially with violent methods,” she continued.

This was conveyed by Dahlia in response to the incident of hair cutting by a Guidance and Counselling (BK) teacher at SMKN 2 Garut to a female student whose hair was coloured other than black, including those wearing hijabs.

The action has the potential to humiliate, demean, and be arbitrary.

“And it can cause psychological impacts such as trauma, fear, and loss of self-confidence,” she said.

According to Dahlia, building a culture of discipline and character among students must be framed with respect for human rights.

“Dyeing hair is not one of the indicators that a person can be said to have good or bad moral values,” she stated.

The BK teacher at SMKN 2 Garut, Ani Musaidah, has now issued an apology following the viral case of cutting the female student’s hair during a school neatness raid.