Black Student Reprimanded for Red Hair!!!!

3348 Views 202 Replies 49 Participants Last post by moondiapers, Aug 24, 2006

Delacroix

Discussion Starter · Aug 18, 2006

Oh HELL NO!!!!

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw....1053cde1.html

Meisha Franklin said her senior year at North Crowley High School was off to a good start until she was called into the principal's office on Thursday.

"At first I thought it was my dress code, because my shirt was kind of out a little bit," she said.

But the problem didn't have anything to do with what Franklin was wearing. Instead, the problem was focused on her head.

Principal Trent Lovette said Meisha's hair violated the code that states no "unnatural" hair colors are allowed.

"You want students to look their best," Lovette said.

Meisha's mother Kelicia, a church youth director and state office employee, said the policy has left her confused.

"When I go to the workplace, I look presentable," she said.

Both mother and daughter color their hair the same shade of red, which Kelicia Franklin said she finds a tasteful choice for many African-American women.

1 - 20 of 203 Posts

pumpkinsmama

· #2 · Aug 18, 2006

So a white girl could have brown, black, blonde or red hair but she can only have black or blonde? What? Natural? Blonde? Huh? If the administration can't think for themselves enough to realize when rules are not in order, I wouldn't want my child going there!

ETA: the whole distraction issue really annoys me anyway. If a kid is going to allow themselves to be distracted by what someone else's hair looks like, or the clothes they are wearing it is their problem. Teach your kids to mind their own business! Then they won't be "distracted"

kittywitty

· #3 · Aug 18, 2006

They seem to be getting a bit nit picky. I think they should worry about other more important issues. Like the kids I saw wearing next to nothing when I did my observation hours at the public school back in IL. Unbelievable!

Is this a private school, because sometimes they have regulations about makeup and hair dye.

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Delacroix

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 18, 2006

No, this is a public school. Is this ridiculous or WHAT?

SirPentor

· #5 · Aug 19, 2006

That's pretty awesome. I wonder if she'd get in trouble for having her hair flattenned or something? Or not wearing a pick in it. Or not enjoying watermellon. What a racist establishment and ruling.

JessicaS

· #6 · Aug 19, 2006

I think their hair looks really nice.

That mom seems very well spoken and gracious. I am looking forward to hearing how this turns out. I think the mom will cream them.

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Danelle78

· #7 · Aug 19, 2006

Holy

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kelly81

· #8 · Aug 19, 2006

Okay... I just read the article... I think I might be the only one that doesn't see this as racist ruling.

The rule is no "unnatural" hair colors are allowed. That shade of red, is not a natural color of hair, it doesn't matter what race/color the person is. That shade of red, is not natural.

So she has a choice of : Blonde, Brown, Black, or Red (not that shade of red)

I personaly, love that color, and I think that Meisha looks GREATwith that color...but, it does violate the school rules.

If a white girl came to school with this shade of red, and was reprimanded, I don't think we'd be having this conversation...would we?

Delacroix

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 19, 2006

Actually, if you read the story, you find that blonde is the only other hair color that this school finds to be 'acceptable' for a young black woman.

If anyone would like to write the principal, (and I hope you will and that you will encourage friends and family to write too), this is his email address.

His name is Trent Lovette.

[email protected]

SirPentor

· #10 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelly81
If a white girl came to school with this shade of red, and was reprimanded, I don't think we'd be having this conversation...would we?

First, my understanding is that she would be reprimanded for it, thus making this racist. Perhaps that's not the case.
Second, we would be having a discussion about how stupid the rule is. But not about racism.

stellimamo

· #11 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

The rule is no "unnatural" hair colors are allowed. That shade of red, is not a natural color of hair, it doesn't matter what race/color the person is. That shade of red, is not natural.

I agree. Definitly not a natural shade of red for anyone black or white. I think their ruling has to do less with the color red and more with hue of that particular red. It would be intresting to see what the school had to say if she went w/ a more natural shade of red.

My question is their definition of whats natural relative to the race of the student?

orangebird

· #12 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delacroix
Oh HELL NO!!!!

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw....1053cde1.html

Meisha Franklin said her senior year at North Crowley High School was off to a good start until she was called into the principal's office on Thursday.

"At first I thought it was my dress code, because my shirt was kind of out a little bit," she said.

But the problem didn't have anything to do with what Franklin was wearing. Instead, the problem was focused on her head.

Principal Trent Lovette said Meisha's hair violated the code that states no "unnatural" hair colors are allowed.

"You want students to look their best," Lovette said.

Meisha's mother Kelicia, a church youth director and state office employee, said the policy has left her confused.

"When I go to the workplace, I look presentable," she said.

Both mother and daughter color their hair the same shade of red, which Kelicia Franklin said she finds a tasteful choice for many African-American women.

Sounds like BYU, I've known people why were told to leave when they dyed their hair. Not blue or anything, just not their own natural color. Dumb. But rules is rules. It doesn't sound racist to me, they wouldn't allow anyone to have that color

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kelly81

· #13 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delacroix
Actually, if you read the story, you find that blonde is the only other hair color that this school finds to be 'acceptable' for a young black woman.

]

I did read the article several times, and just re-read it, this is what I found

Meisha's mom also said she was bothered by the school's definition of "natural." Lovette said for black students, the rules would permit blonde hair.

"So, you're telling me my daughter has to have 'natural' hair color, or it has to be blonde?" Franklin asked.

The bolding is mine. The words "would permit" to me means, they would allow blonde....but it doesn't mean that's the ONLY color that would be okay. I think Meisha's mother's words, are making it sound like blonde is the ONLY color.

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mimim

· #14 · Aug 19, 2006

Stupid rule, but I think Kelly and Erin might be right. I think the article is written in a misleading way that leads us to believe that any shade of red is not allowed for African American students. I'm interpreting this that if Meisha showed up to school with a more natural shade of red she'd be ok.

If I'm wrong, then I hope they throw the book at this school administration.

kelly81

· #15 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirPentor
Second, we would be having a discussion about how stupid the rule is. But not about racism.

I agree, we would have the conversation..but it wouldn't be a race issue. Why is it only a a race issue if it involves a person of color. That's what I don't understand. I personally think Meishs's race/color has NOTHING to do with this story, her hair color does.

charmander

· #16 · Aug 19, 2006

I dont' think it is a racist issue, but I do think it is a stupid rule. The mom and daughter look fine to me.

kelly81

· #17 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimim
Stupid rule, but I think Kelly and Erin might be right. I think the article is written in a misleading way that leads us to believe that any shade of red is not allowed for African American students. I'm interpreting this that if Meisha showed up to school with a more natural shade of red she'd be ok.

If I'm wrong, then I hope they throw the book at this school administration.

Exactly. If Meisha shows up with a natural shade of red, or any other natural color, and they still reprimand her, then I could see this being a race issue...until then, I don't believe it is.

SirPentor

· #18 · Aug 19, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelly81
I agree, we would have the conversation..but it wouldn't be a race issue. Why is it only a a race issue if it involves a person of color. That's what I don't understand. I personally think Meishs's race/color has NOTHING to do with this story, her hair color does.

The policy is racist, or culturally insensitive, or whater you want to call it. The reason that shade of hair die is against the rules is because it looks bad/unnatural/whatever on a white girl. That is a shade of red that many professional black women use. The enforcement of the policy may or may not be racist but I contend that the policy itself is.

sincitymama

· #19 · Aug 19, 2006

So thi sschool has a policy about not allowing haircolor that does not occur in nature. A student has a haircolor that does not occur in nature. She is repremanded. And we are freaking out?

That said, I hate those rules and htink the haircolor looks awsome, so maybe this family will help the school broaden their rules a bit. That would be good. I guess I'm just seeing it as a ridiculous rule, but not a racist one.

RachelGS

· #20 · Aug 19, 2006

Emailed the principal:

Quote:

Mr. Lovette,

I just read a news story online which reported that an African American student at your school was reprimanded for having red hair. Apparently red hair is "unnatural" for black students. This potentially blatant demonstration of racism has reached me in Boston; I can only assume it is making headlines elsewhere in the country as well. If you would also discipline a white student for having red hair, well, that's stupid but at least consistent. But please make that clear to the news media. Right now it's sounding a whole lot like you're holding differing standards for students based on the amount of pigmentation in their skin. My heart goes out to this young girl and her family. It's amazing the number of ways our youth can be discriminated against, isn't it? It's a shame to see it happening in their schools.

Dr. Rachel ....
Boston, MA

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