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‘Sit Your Nappy Headed Self Down,” Teacher Tells Student, 13

A mother complained about a racial inference made to her 13-year-old daughter by her teacher and the child ended up kicked out of school with three weeks left in the semester.

In Science class at Inglewood’s Century Academy of Excellence in California, Brea Persley’s teacher scolded her in front of th cla: “Sit your nappy-headed self down.”

“When the kids started laughing, it brought back the memories of when I was in 4th grade and kids used to laugh at me and tease me,” the teenager said.

When the student told her parents about the incident, they were outraged. The teacher called and left a voice message, apologizing, saying, in part, “That’s just not me and not intentions in a bad way and I know it came out wrong.”

That was not enough for the parents, who complained to the principal, Giselle Edmond. Instead of getting help, Edmond told the family, according to her mother, “I’m going to let you know right now. I am so happy my teacher called your daughter nappy head. You have a mean little girl and bad things need to happen to mean kids. Your daughter is kicked out of my school.”

In a letter to Williams, the school said her daughter was banned “due to the fact that you scolded the principal.”

Brea’s family said she had a fight last year, has been tardy for school and was cited for chewing gum. Now, the child says she wants to get her hair pressed straight. Her parents said they will not stop until they get some answers — on the teacher and principal. Brea’s family says it’s filing a complaint with the school’s accreditation agency.

In the meantime, the parents need to get its daughter into a school for the final three weeks of the semester.

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