Do our attitudes to hairstyles still hindering inclusion and inadvertently discriminating others? This is a question we ask in our 55th interview, our 31st women-in-education podcast with Michelle De Leon who is the founder of World Afro Day and author of the Hair Equality Report.

Hair discrimination has gone unrecognised for decades and needs to be addressed. The Hair Equality Report is needed because there is a lack of awareness about this problem within governing bodies, school authorities and the general public. Listen to Michelle and Teacher Toolkit founder, Ross McGill discuss how education policies let children in their attitudes towards hair and identity. How hopeful she is for women and young girls to not be held back by their gender and reflect on Michelle’s positive and negative experiences in education as a child.

We also highlight how Michelle came to have a career in the media and the aspects of television she is involved in; explain how World Afro Day was born out of her daughter's love for her own hair. How much joy Michelle has got from creating lesson plans for children around World Afro Day and delve into the stigma around black women and their hair.

There are countless media stories, yet little academic research to suggest having a particular style of hair impacts on pupil performance. To find out more, you can join in with World Afro Day on 15th September (every year) and download the lesson plans for your classroom.

You can find out much more on WAD website: www.WorldAfroDay.com