school discriminating against black children's hairstyles

Danay Helena/Facebook

Elementary school accused of discriminating against Black children with haircut policy

'Can any administrator help me understand the need for this type of policy?'

 

Tiffanie Drayton

IRL

Posted on Aug 3, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 7:21 am CDT

A Georgia elementary school is receiving backlash for targeting Black children’s hair in its dress code policy.

Administrators at Narvie Harris Elementary School in DeKalb County posted pictures of Black children with various haircuts, along with labels that deemed the hair either “appropriate” or “inappropriate,” in accordance with its dress code policy. The “inappropriate” hair had designs or colorful beadings in it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217471533159349&set=a.1600075320895&type=3

Twitter user @rogerskalan asked educators to comment their thoughts on the posters.

“This was posted in an elementary school… Is this appropriate for schools to post?” @rogerskalan asked.

The majority of people responded to the question by calling the administrators’ decision to scrutinize Black children’s hair inappropriate–and even racist.

“Just when I thought we were done policing Black children’s hairstyles, this popped up on my timeline. Can any administrator help me understand the need for this type of policy? This is a predominately black public school with all black admin,” one responded.

https://twitter.com/MVSActivates/status/1157255183375785984

https://twitter.com/MrKitMath/status/1157345047597211650

The DeKalb County School District responded to the controversy by distancing itself from the school’s enforcement of its dress code policy, according to Blavity.

“This was a miscommunication at the school level and is being handled by school leadership. Nontraditional schools at (the DeKalb County School District) sometimes have the option to enforce dress code and style standards,” officials wrote in a statement, given to Blavity.

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H/T Blavity 

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*First Published: Aug 3, 2019, 3:43 pm CDT