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[Izuna]

This article is from Evening Standard, I changed the title slightly.

Article Link: http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...-put-hair-back-to-normal/ar-BBw8PTX?ocid=iehp

...Her mum Leanne Sullivan wrote: “On the first day of term my daughter was told to remove her braid extensions and return her hair to a ‘normal’ style as the braids and extensions breached the school’s uniform policy.” Ms Sullivan went on to say that her daughter had chosen to wear her hair in its “natural form” in braids, rather than chemically straightened, like many black or mixed race people with long Afro hair.

The school’s policy states that “extremes of hairstyles are not permitted in school” and gives examples of “inappropriate” styles as “extensions, beading, braiding and cuts shorter than no. two".

Ms Sullivan added: “The school uniform policy is out of date and conflicts directly with the school's equality and diversity policy, as my daughter's hair style reflects her cultural background as it does the other mixed-race and black students who wear braid extensions.”

The school recognises that the policy is outdated af, and also states that the kid was never told to remove her braids:

Headteacher Alan Brookes confirmed that braiding was on prohibited list but explained that the policy was one that had been around for a number of years and had not been updated.

He said: “It is one of many policies we have at the school and it is a very old one. We sent a list of the uniform policies out in May, but naturally no one wrote back with any feedback, or we would have amended it then and there.

“After the incident, the pupil’s mother emailed us and made some very good points about the policy including the term ‘braids’ so we will take it to the first full governor’s meeting next week.

“A number of our black pupils now wear their hair in braids and have done so for a long time.” He added that he believed the pupil’s hair was not considered appropriate for school because of the fact she had long extensions in, not the braids. “Someone did not look at the pupil and think ‘she has braids in her hair so she should go home’,” he said. “There were other possible reasons why her hair was deemed ‘extreme’. I suspect our new policy will be more general and leave it to the teacher to decide what is appropriate.”

Pictures of girl:

~~~~~

smh, honestly. I haven't heard of this happening in the UK but it might be a sketchy school I don't know. Personally, I don't understand the restriction of hairstyles period, especially if it looks neat.

I'm not certain of how it is affliated but I got the second picture from an opinion-piece about this same issue (a lot more direct with its accusation of racism): http://www.gal-dem.com/black-girls-shouldnt-have-their-hair-policed/

During lunchtime on her first day back at Fulston Manor School earlier this month, 14-year-old Chyna Cowie-Sullivan was approached by a white male teacher whose face “lit up like someone had just brought him McDonalds”. ~ gal-dem

Regardless of whatever did happen, it's certainly an outdated rule. But not according to UK readers of MSN -- if you want to see salty white people complain about black hairstyle check none other than the comments. (what are they salty about?)

 

[Slayven]

Shit those braids are good.

She put in a good day on those

 

[UnemployedVillain]

The school’s policy states that “extremes of hairstyles are not permitted in school” and gives examples of “inappropriate” styles as “extensions, beading, braiding and cuts shorter than no. two".

Might as well just flat out say "black hairstyles"

 

[Angelus Errare]

She's a clone of her mother.

At the very least kudos for the school immediately realizing that policy was a bunch of outdated steeped in racism and white standards of beauty bullshit. Unlike way too many schools (and people) who handwave it away and tell black girls to simply "straighten their hair" or whatever other nonsense they say.

These policies are racist and always will be seen that way. Don't even bother quoting to disagree.

 

[Skellig Gra]

They don't have racism in the UK tho.

 

[Izuna]

My Mom has to do this with her hair because her's is too thin for other black hairstyles, so he needs extensions. She would literally be fucked under this rule lol

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

What's cuts shorter than no 2? Cuts for guys or girls? Meaning no short cuts for girls? Someone's going to get cancer and have their hair fall out?

 

[kswiston]

Might as well just flat out say "black hairstyles"

Cuts shorter than #2 is probably aimed at skin heads. The rest do seem to be aimed at black hairstyles though.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I'm glad I was able to go to school where people could dye their hair, wear mohawks etc. How are we still policing haircuts in 2016? They're just kids, let them express themselves.

 

[D4Danger]

op did you even read your own post before deciding on the title?

 

[Izuna]

What's cuts shorter than no 2? Cuts for guys or girls? Meaning no short cuts for girls? Someone's going to get cancer and have their hair fall out?

A size 2 is like

When I was like... 12 or 13, I cut my hair short for the first time copying my friends and got suspended lol. They can be selective with who they punish.

Might as well just flat out say "black hairstyles"

I do believe that these sets of rules didn't take in account of black people when they made it, and they didn't bother updating ~ but no doubt it could be used as a way to pick on a black kid. There is a petition but I felt as if there's no need to link it here, it's all in the article.

op did you even read your own post before deciding on the title?

I couldn't fit [allegedly] in the original title so I shortened it to only state the facts. What's wrong with that? No need for tabloid headlines in GAF.

 

[Slayven]

She should have picked the Caesar in the character creator. Cause Caesar and afro are the only recognized black hair.

 

[Trojita]

Those are some nice braids.

 

[EstoyBlackWaldo]

Schools worry about the most petty nonsense to invoke on children, then and even still today. Aren't they supposed to learn individualism, to be themselves however they choose to express it. Well I guess not the black or mixed ones who choose to not wear their hair "normal". Whatever, good on them for changing it almost immediately. Black hair styling is such an amazing art style.

 

[nephilimdj]

Why even make a thread if you bolded the part where they actually allow extensions? its a non story.

Nothing to do with Racism

 

[Izuna]

Why even make a thread if you bolded the part where they actually allow extensions? its a non story.

Nothing to do with Racism

The girl was apparently told to return her hair to "normal". And there is this:

“There were other possible reasons why her hair was deemed ‘extreme’.

What reason could there possibly be?

And as I said in my OP, even if that didn't happen, why is a school playing hair police?

Edit: is something a non-story if it isn't racism?

 

[Skellig Gra]

Why even make a thread if you bolded the part where they actually allow extensions? its a non story.

Nothing to do with Racism

Article says that the head teacher confirmed braids were prohibited. Whats the reason for that rule?

 

[Izuna]

Article says that the head teacher confirmed braids were prohibited. Whats the reason for that rule?

I think if anything happens to a black person in the news, the first thing people will try and do is decide if it isn't racism.

 

[hypernima]

Her braids are on point and clean too.

If this is an issue what do they allow?

 

[User 73706]

She's a clone of her mother.

At the very least kudos for the school immediately realizing that policy was a bunch of outdated steeped in racism and white standards of beauty bullshit. Unlike way too many schools (and people) who handwave it away and tell black girls to simply "straighten their hair" or whatever other nonsense they say.

These policies are racist and always will be seen that way. Don't even bother quoting to disagree.

bububu angelus i'm a white man who doesn't know shit about what black women go through and if you're not even letting us have an argument consisting of Rational Discourse™ then well isn't that the ~``~*real*~``~ racisms at play here?

 

[Skellig Gra]

I think if anything happens to a black person in the news, the first thing people will try and do is decide if it isn't racism.

Their response is a total copout too. Essentially "if someone told us our rules were racist we would have changed them!"

 

[lightskintwin]

That's why I'm glad I went to a predominately Black school in a predominantly Black middle class area. Hairstyles were on point like a mug and more importantly were allowed. LOL

 

[SENPAIatLARGE]

Article says that the head teacher confirmed braids were prohibited. Whats the reason for that rule?

If your hair is relaxed, white people are relaxed. If your hair is nappy, white people aint happy. -Chris Rock in the documentary 'Good Hair'

 

[Izuna]

Their response is a total copout too. Essentially "if someone told us our rules were racist we would have changed them!"

I made a comment earlier that I believed they were very old rules, but then I misread the part where they said the rules were sent out in May...

 

[Uhyve]

The headmaster seems quite reasonable in updating their obviously problematic rules, which is admirable. But I just don't believe that the girl was sent home for wearing extensions. I mean, why would the mother email them with "very good points about the policy including the term ‘braids’" if her daughter was sent home for extensions?

I dunno, maybe I just don't like teachers. They always used to tell me off for my beard in high school. I mean, I could've shaved more often but if they saw my grades, they should've known I was lazy.

 

[RK9039]

Their response is a total copout too. Essentially "if someone told us our rules were racist we would have changed them!"

"I'm sorry officer, I didn't know I couldn't do that".