Is this Britain's most deluded dad? Father's fury after his 13-year-old daughter was sent home from school for having £140 waist-length bright white dreadlocks 

• Chenise Benson had long white dreadlocks implanted over half term
• Teachers at George Pindar school in Scarborough sent Chenise home
• Her father Darren Benson said his daughter is being discriminated against
• Mr Benson claims children of Jamaican heritage are allowed dreadlocks 

A furious father has branded his daughter's school racist after the 14-year-old girl was sent home after getting a dreadlock-style hair cut. 

Chenise Benson, 14, claimed her friend of Jamaican origin was allowed by school authorities to keep a similar hair style.

Beyonce-fan Chenise, 14, had dreamed about getting exotic box-braids like the ex-Destiny's Child singer for months - but was left in tears at the school gates after staff wouldn't let her in. 

Her friend Jamila, who is of Jamaican origin said their hair was exactly the same. 

A policy document on the school's website states: 'Please note we do not allow extreme, unnatural hairstyles or colouring. Any hair accessories should be of a practical nature and should not be decorative.

'If you are in doubt please contact your child’s tutor at the school. Hair should be no shorter than a Grade 3 cut.

'Please be aware that what is and is not acceptable will be decided by the school in line with this policy and the school’s decision is final.

'Please note that in sending your child to George Pindar School that you are agreeing to ensure your child abides by this policy.

'If you have any queries or questions regarding any aspect of uniform, jewellery, hairstyle, please could you contact the school.' 

Chenise's father Darren, 39, said: 'I'm not racist in any shape or form - but this is like racism against their own.

'Chenise is being picked out here because she's white - if she was black or mixed-race they wouldn't have a problem.

'Chenise's friend whose dad is Jamaican even told the teachers "look at my hair, I'm still allowed in".

'In this country we're so bothered about upsetting other people that we're upsetting our own.' 

He explained that Chenise had seen pictures of Beyonce's new hair cut before she plucked up the courage to ask a lady with the same style where she got it done.

The teenager then saved up her pocket money by doing chores to raise the funds - so she could get the locks she pined for.

Mr Benson explained that Chenise had wanted the new style for her sister Billie-Ann's 16th birthday last Saturday. 

Chenise spent around five hours having the extensions but in on October 19 and went into school the following day, Thursday, October 20. 

Mr Benson said at 8.30am, he got a call from Chenise who was in floods of tears.

Chenise told her dad that Teachers said she would have to take her new braids out because she was breaking school rules.

Asked what happened when he picked his daughter up, Mr Benson said: 'When I went down to the school a teacher read out the school guidelines to me about hair - which infuriated me.

'They said she would have to take the braids out - otherwise she couldn't go to school.'

Mr Benson then took Chenise home for the Thursday and did not attend school on the Friday.

The angry father said that he will let Chenise keep her hair braided for the start of school again - Monday October 31.

Speaking about the hairstyle, Mr Benson said: 'I think it looks beautiful, she [Chenise] looks great.

'Part of me agrees it is over the top - but they are going to get it done whatever aren't they.

'My youngest daughter Chenise is quite dark and tanned anyway - so it doesn't look too bad.

'But that's not the point is it - I was furious because of the principle of it and she [Chenise] was crying down the phone to me.' 

Chenise's hair consists of of synthetic white hair which is wrapped around her own hair in a tight weave - officially called box-braiding.

The pricey £140 hair style was due to the fake hair needing to be bought and ordered from London.

Mr Benson, who is a shop assistant said: 'The hair style isn't going to stop her from learning is it?

'It wasn't to be smart - she just wanted something different.

'But the school shouldn't be dictating now what pupils can and can't have.

'I agree with no make-up - but hair is different and no one should ever be forced to have their hair one way or another.'

Mr Benson said that Chenise's sister Billie-Ann will also be having the same style done to her hair.

'She can have her hair like that - her sister is having it done tomorrow.

'I can't let her have it multi-coloured.'

Speaking about her own hair, Chenise said: 'I wasn't bothered what other people thought of my hair - but it was the teachers who upset me.

'Why would they pick me out like that - all because I want to be different.

'People did say I looked "minging" when I was walking around the shops - but other people told me they wanted it doing just like mine - and were asking for the number for the lady who did it.

'I was like looking through some pictures of Beyonce who had it done and I thought the style she had was really nice.

'I asked the woman in the street where she got her hair done and she gave my mum's number to the braid woman.'

She added: 'I saved up my pocket money for it so I wanted it to be special.'

Chenise's mother Lindsay Callum, a former council worker, 38, said: 'A few mums said we would have problems at school when we posted the picture of Chenise's hair on Facebook - but we didn't think it would be this bad.'

Asked what the family will do now and what the future holds, Mr Benson said: 'For her [Chenise's] education - all this is just not worth the hassle.

'She had been asking for the braids for a long time and we said before Christmas and Billie-Ann's birthday she could have it done.

'But education is important - so she'll have to get it taken out if the school don't back down.'

Mr Benson said George Pindar School has since told him that they would accept Chenise's braids - if they were all one colour.

He added: 'The school have gone back on what they said and say they can stay if she dyes the synthetic hair - but that could rip Chenise's hair out.

She added: 'It would also cost a fortune.'

A George Pindar School spokesperson said: 'It is the first time I have heard about the matter and obviously, with it being half-term, there is no way I can get the full background details about the matter.'