A Louisiana student brought to tears after being pulled from school in front of classmates over her so-called “unnatural” hairstyle is now looking for a new place to learn while her family mulls legal action against the school.
Video of the incident, posted to Instagram this week, shows the unnamed girl wiping away tears as she gathers her belongings before heading out of the Christ the King Parish School with her parents. According to WGNO, the private Christian school only allows “natural” hair styles, and officials said the girl and her parents were well aware of the policy before school started back up last week.
The student, a relative of “LHHATL” star Tokyo Vanity, reportedly got her hair re-done the week before in order to be in compliance with the new hair policy.
“[Her mother] made an appointment with a hair stylist to do so,” Archdiocese Catholic Schools Superintendent RaeNell Billiot Houston said. “The new hairstyle was still not in compliance with the new hairstyle policy. At that point the parent made the decision to remove her child from the school.”
A man who identified himself as the girl’s brother tells a different story, however, saying the school sprung the new hair policy on his sister the first day of classes.
“She’s been attending this school for two years and wearing extensions,” Steven Fennidy wrote in a Facebook post Monday. “Over the summer, the school has sneakily added in a policy, that no extensions, clip-ins or weaves are allowed. Faith (the student) got a notice on the first day of class and it’s ridiculous that these schools that we’re PAYING for, will go in and make policies without consulting or trying to figure out how this will affect your life or your child’s life.”
Fennidy dubbed the policy as yet another “barrier to entry for Black people.”
“This decision is going to affect Black children more than white children,” he added.
In video of the incident, a teacher is heard explaining why the girl was being removed from class.
“It’s not just her hair,” the woman says. “Several of our boys on the team … it’s still a hairstyle that they’re choosing to do.”
In a statement, the school reiterated its mandatory natural hair policy, which it says was sent to all parents before the school year started.
“This policy was communicated to all parents during the summer and again before the first day of school, and was applied to all students,” the school said. “…Furthermore, the school leadership worked with families as needed to ensure compliance.”
According to WWL4, the girl’s family said they plan to meet with an attorney Tuesday to file a discrimination suit against the school.
The incident comes just one week after a 6-year-old boy was turned away from a Christian school in Florida and told he wouldn’t be allowed in until he cut his dreadlocks. Officials at the A Book’s Christian Academy in Apopka said male students were required to have short hair only.
Watch more in the video below.
https://www.facebook.com/steven.fennidy/videos/10214859474753091/UzpfSTc5OTUzOTkxMDA4NDkyOToxOTU4NjkwMzIwODM2NTQz/
