Teacher forced dying 11-year-old with alopecia to remove her wig because it might encourage other children to dye their hair

                                                           

Ashanti Elliott-Smith, 11, was told to remove her pink wig by a teacher at Oakmeeds Community College, West Sussex. She suffers from a rare ageing disease called Hutchinson Gilford Progeria and is not expected to live past the age of 15. She wanted to wear the wig at school to hide her alopecia - a side effect of the condition. Her mother Phoebe Smith (left), said: 'She was devastated when they told her to take it off. Her little heart was broken. It's disgusting. It is bright but she should have the right to wear whatever colour hair she wants.' Colin Taylor, Headteacher Oakmeeds Community College, said: 'It was agreed by the Director of Inclusion and Head of Year that Ashanti would wear the wig home but not in lessons because it was not cold in the school and she had never wanted to wear one before.'