Girl says Florida school threatening expulsion over her ‘natural hair’

[Dusky Mouse]

Having spent practically all my life as "the first" and "the only" black person in school and work environments from the 60s until really very recently, that's basically my life story. She is nowhere I haven't been.

Again, the only fact we have is that the school had said nothing about her hair until harassment by the other students became an issue.

Harassment by other students is actually the issue here. I totally agree that the school appears not to have handled harassment by other students in the best manner possible.

I have no idea why you would think your life story has any relevance whatsoever to this young woman.

In terms of what we don't know, we don't know "how they worded their rebuke."

The only thing reported is what a 14-year-old claimed she was told, and I know by too much experience that a 14-year-old--even an honest one--is not necessarily a reliable reporter of what was actually nuanced when what he or she has been told had "no" as the bottom line.

We glean how the rebuke was worded from her reports about it.
I'm not one to call her a liar.

We know nothing at all about "she make her hair to appear as a white person"--absolutely nothing. It's necessary to make sure our presumptions are kept distinct from our facts.

When her hair presently styled as pictured is decreed a distraction we do know that a black girls natural hair is declared a distraction for appearing as is.
It's not presumptuous. It's a fact the school made public.
It's important not to make excuses for a school that targets a child and her natural hair.

 

[RDKirk]

I have no idea why you would think your life story has any relevance whatsoever to this young woman.

I've been in those situations before--and back when a complaint of "racism" was just met with "So?"

We glean how the rebuke was worded from her reports about it.
I'm not one to call her a liar.

I'm not calling her a liar, I'm saying she could be an "unreliable reporter." That happens almost all the time when you're getting a "he said/she said" from any person. That's why you always need cross-testimony to really know the truth. Even the bible requires two or three witnesses to bear out a fact, so what I'm saying is a truth known that long.

When her hair presently styled as pictured is decreed a distraction we do know that a black girls natural hair is declared a distraction for appearing as is.

No, we only know that particular natural style appears to be considered a distraction.

We don't know about this style, or this style, or this style, or maybe this style, for instances.

It's not presumptuous. It's a fact the school made public.
It's important not to make excuses for a school that targets a child and her natural hair.

"Targets a child" is certainly an emotionally charged choice of words, but what it really is is a matter of "appearance not in keeping with the image of the school," and there is no evidence that there is no natural hair style that would be in keeping with the image of the school.

 

[Supreme]

He hair is awesome. That said, it's the school's rules. Private schools have a lot of autonomy regarding their uniform standards. And if the girl doesn't want to abide by those standards, then the school has a right to take action.

School rules are usually illogical and restrictive, but that's life, m'afraid.

 

[seashale76]

Teachers should have to follow all rules students have to follow that do not restrict their ability to do their job.

No. Teachers are adults. Students are not.

I was a teacher for longer than I care to recall. Teachers should have their own set of rules and dress code to follow. It shouldn't be the same as the student dress code- but it also shouldn't be extremely liberal and devil may care either. A lack of standards for teachers in this regard has become a real problem. Teachers should dress professionally and that should be defined for them because some really have no clue. Believe me- I've had co-workers who have worn Grateful Dead t-shirts and shorts to work on a regular basis. My principal used to wear sweats almost every day. The only time he'd dress up is if he knew the Assistant Superintendent, the Superintendent, or other people who had direct control over him were going to come visit. I was once told that I was making others look bad because I wore professional clothing and skirts to work. My response? 'Good.'

Also- for example- I'd never chew gum at work considering the kids weren't allowed to. There wasn't a rule saying teachers couldn't chew gum- but it would have been rubbing it in and would have been mean spirited to chew gum when they couldn't. A student is not going to respect a teacher telling them to spit out gum when the teacher is chewing a big wad.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I wonder if this school would harass a Muslim girl wearing a hijab and using the same excuse. It's a distraction.

Highly doubtful.
I agree with those who say this is racist. Just because she doesn't process her hair so as to comport with what whites think looks proper for their approval, she's threatened.

I don't blame her mother for wanting to send her to a better school. Her acumen will thrive somewhere where she's not held back for being black. Her hair is the first excuse. Had she stayed what would be next?

And I would love to know the racial population of this school. How many other black children attend? What's their hair like? Or is she the only one there? If she is, that explains everything. Harass until she leaves.

I wasn't aware that the school asked the girl to straighten her hair. I was under the impression that the size of the hair was the issue. It's something that would apply to the white girl students as well. There are many "big hair" hairstyles that girls are using these days that would likely get the same reaction soon the school.

 

[keith99]

I was a teacher for longer than I care to recall. Teachers should have their own set of rules and dress code to follow. It shouldn't be the same as the student dress code- but it also shouldn't be extremely liberal and devil may care either. A lack of standards for teachers in this regard has become a real problem. Teachers should dress professionally and that should be defined for them because some really have no clue. Believe me- I've had co-workers who have worn Grateful Dead t-shirts and shorts to work on a regular basis. My principal used to wear sweats almost every day. The only time he'd dress up is if he knew the Assistant Superintendent, the Superintendent, or other people who had direct control over him were going to come visit. I was once told that I was making others look bad because I wore professional clothing and skirts to work. My response? 'Good.'

Also- for example- I'd never chew gum at work considering the kids weren't allowed to. There wasn't a rule saying teachers couldn't chew gum- but it would have been rubbing it in and would have been mean spirited to chew gum when they couldn't. A student is not going to respect a teacher telling them to spit out gum when the teacher is chewing a big wad.

If ther is a difference in the dress code the one for teachers should be more professionals. I was tempted to say stricter, but that technically is not correct if the school has uniforms.

 

[TheDag]

That would, again, be a failure of the school to properly and fully identify their policies. In the Air Force, for instance, the policy is clear enough in stating purpose and details that the organization can properly discriminate between someone who is coloring her gray from someone who dyes her hair pink.

Sorry was on my mobile so didn't give all details. The reason for the policy was that it is a poor reflection on the school if a student dyes their hair. Well the principle is the face of the school in many cases who is actively involved in getting community support so she should not have dyed her hair. If it had at least been a natural colour that would have been acceptable. It was not a natural colour.

No. Teachers are adults. Students are not.

when the school claims it is all about looking professional and claims having coloured hair is unprofessional then yes the teacher should follow those rules because as the main representative of the school she looks unprofessional. Admittedly I did not include this information in my previous posts. I will say that when I was doing some teaching the only rule students had to follow that staff didn't was No mobile phones during class time. That was explained up front that teachers would not be expected to follow that rule.

 

[BlunderAngel]

I agree. It's racist.
Hair isn't a distraction. Bad teaching is.

Anything can be labeled a distraction. A beautiful girl or a very handsome boy can be a distraction. What's then to happen?
Labeling this little girls hair a distraction is saying that people are staring at her because she is black and has a natural Afro.
Therefore, in truth, racism is a distraction.

Hopefully this article will get enough attention that the school is made aware of that.

This little girl deserves a quality education. Which won't be found at this institution.

This is racism, plain and simple. The rules were written with a white girl's hair in mind. Not every girl's hair is going to fit that mold. To call her natural hair inappropriate is just terrible. If it's a distraction, deal with it. It's who she is. She shouldn't have to get a buzz cut just to be considered acceptable.

 

[RDKirk]

I wasn't aware that the school asked the girl to straighten her hair.

We don't know how that conversation went. We don't know what was actually said, what was suggested, what was implied, what was nuanced, or what was presumed to have been any of those.

If I remember correctly, the Salem witch trials began with the accusations of a 14-year-old girl.

 

[Dusky Mouse]

Actually they told her to cut her hair or be expelled.
But now they're backing down.

Update: African-American girl won't face expulsion over 'natural hair'

Vanessa VanDyke told to cut hair or leave Faith Christian Academy

ORLANDO, Fla. -
A Central Florida teen told Local 6 on Monday she faced expulsion because administrators at her private school wanted her to cut and shape her hair. But a day later, administrators appeared to have changed their mind, saying she will not be expelled.