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Black students at MA school got detention and face suspension for having braided hair

S

Septic360

Banned
Stinkles said:
Eh? There's literally nothing good about this story. But the devil's in the details. For example, if a white kid shows up with Bo Derek braids, according to this, she'll be fine. If a little black girl has short braids that look weird, her mom can't add extensions to "train" her hair. It's not semantics, it's right in the story. I hope you don't think I'm making light of it or defending it.
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I think it's just a lack of common sense on the part of the school like you say.

But I couldn't help myself...

snSpJHD.jpg


I'm a prick
 
T

TalonJH

Member
unnamed-002.jpg

(The Cook sisters at Fenway Park.)

Seriously, what's wrong with their hair? Also, What does it matter that they are extensions, would it be okay with the school if they just grew their hair to the same length?
 
I

Imm0rt4l

Member
Infinite said:
It really doesn't matter. The impact on the kids is still the same regardless of the administrations intentions.
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Right, it's still racist. I don't understand folks need to defend a racist policy or the people who put it in place. As if intent trumps impact. As if these people deserve the benefit of the doubt.
 
Amory

Amory

Member
Imm0rt4l said:
Right, it's still racist. I don't understand folks need to defend a racist policy or the people who put it in place. As if intent trumps impact. As if these people deserve the benefit of the doubt.
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I didn't defend it/them at all.

All I'm saying is if it's ignorance, then maybe they'll be willing to listen to what people are telliing them and change the policy
 
I

Infinite

Member
Imm0rt4l said:
Right, it's still racist. I don't understand folks need to defend a racist policy or the people who put it in place. As if intent trumps impact. As if these people deserve the benefit of the doubt.
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Yeah like benefit of the doubt is reserved if they decided to call the parent and have a conversation about the child's hair. I mean it would still be tacky but it's leagues better simply giving the child detention and suspending for this without attempting to even come to and understanding lol.
 
N

NoblesseOblige

Banned
”Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students' success."
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The hell do they care about the cost?
 
J

jayu26

Member
“One important reason for our students’ success is that we purposefully promote equity by focusing on what unites our students and reducing visible gaps between those of different means,” the statement said.

“Our policies, including those governing student appearance and attire, foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion, or materialism,” the statement said. “Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students’ success.”
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team-homer14.png
 
M

MiddeSummer

Banned
Wow, fuck this school. Once for caring about completely unobtrusive hairstyles, and again for only caring about complete unobtrusive black hairstyles. Thrice for caring so much as to obstruct the educations of children over it.

What are their rules for wearing our hair naturally? How much time and money would these kids have to sink in order to fit them? Uhg, what awful people.
 
B

BigDug13

Member
Dynasty said:
To reduce the racial visual gap further I think all the white kids should wear a black mask.
I shouldn't be giving them ideas, they might take me seriously and actually do it.
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Then they could make the black students put on white-face before they put black-face on top like black musicians had to do in old black-face minstrel shows
 
M

Mammoth Jones

Member
Amory said:
to me anyway it seems like this may be a policy springing from ignorance rather than outright racism. Not that that's a lot better, but it's possible that administrators just didn't know about the importance of extensions as it relates to braiding. They didn't ban braids themselves.

Hopefully now that the case is being argued they'll update their rules
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Racism often is the ignorant forcing of adopting the "dominant" cultures values without giving a single shit about minority perspectives.
 
L

Linkura

Member
Stinkles said:
Huh. Not braids but extensions. Thread title is going to create some drama methinks. Still seems like nonsense. The culture argument is valid but it's also a practical solution for folks with complicated hair. I give this five racist stupidities out of six.
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Sorry if it seemed misleading- it wasn't my intention. But often for black women/girls, braids and extensions go hand in hand, since as others were saying, it can be very difficult to braid natural hair.

Glad to see pretty much everyone in this thread agrees with me. :3 I drive by this school at least a couple times a week- in fact, I just did about 15 minutes ago. Gonna think of this asinine story every time and I'm sure many others will too. Very much hoping a front page, #1 featured article BostonGlobe.com story reverses this decision. Won't make me think any differently of the school, but at least the students who are there will have some relief from this racist policy.
 
S

Spaced Harrier

Member
I think my gf braids her hair, I'd have to ask her to be sure. We work for a massive multinational tech company.

That school is run by cunts.
 
L

Linkura

Member
Update: The AG has told the school to fuck off.
http://www.wcvb.com/article/attorne...top-punishing-students-for-hairstyles/9885650

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office ordered a Malden charter school to immediately stop punishing students for wearing hairstyles the school said violated its dress code.

In a four-page letter sent to the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, the attorney general's office called the code discriminatory and unfairly enforced.

The office said the school's policy "included a number of prohibitions that are either unreasonably subjective or appear to effectively single out students of color."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts filed a complaint Monday with the state’s education department calling for the elimination of a policy that bans hair extensions at the school.
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C

Chmpocalypse

Blizzard
Linkura said:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...parents-say/stWDlBSCJhw1zocUWR1QMP/story.html



I live very close to this school. My thoughts? Yes, it is racist bullshit and isn't reflective of the real world at all. The school's statement is complete bullshit. Materialism, my ass. It's an important piece of black culture and they are actively undermining it.

One of my coworkers at my office job is a director and wears braids with extensions all the time. It looks great, she looks absolutely beautiful, and still looks professional. Really hoping the school faces a huge backlash for this one.
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So fucking racist, and transparent as glass.
 
B

Breads

Banned
Took a double take there.

When you said AG I knew in my heart of hearts it could not be Sessions. Sure enough it was the MA AG.
 
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