November 26, 2012

Student Told to Cut Her Hair or Leave School

Despite other students teasing 12-year-old African American student Vanessa VanDyke, the young girl said that she loved her poofy, natural hair. However, after VanDyke's parents informed school officials that there daughter was being teased, the school informed VanDyke that she had a week to decide whether to cut her natural hair or leave Faith Christian Academy, citing it as a "distraction" to other students. Fortunately, after the story began to circulate and the controversy reached the press, the school decided to retract their ultimatum.

HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL RACISM?:

Throughout history, "natural hair", for both African-American women and men, has been the subject of extensive controversy; from the banning of protective styles in the military to the emotional stress of not living up to dominant "standards of beauty."

For more on the policing of Black women's hair see, "Black Women Natural Hair At the Workplace"