A Japanese public high school has come under fire for its strict policy regarding the color of its students' hair.

An 18-year-old teen filed a lawsuit in late October seeking ¥2.2 million ($19,000) in damages from the Osaka prefectural government, claiming that her school had ordered her to dye her naturally brown hair black if she wished to continue attending classes.

The young woman's mother had informed Kaifukan High School before the teen started attending that her hair was naturally brown, but teachers ordered the student to dye it black, according to documents the plaintiff submitted in court.