I don't know which is more stupid: a school rigidly enforcing a haircut code on an excellent student, or the student and his parents refusing to conform. The result: 15 lost days of school for the boy, and untold time and money devoted by the school in getting dragged to court.
If it was my school and my decision, I would not have imposed this rule; I would not want my teachers spending their time enforcing hair rules on kids who are behaving themselves and earning high marks. If it was my kid, I would have made her conform to the rule; I would not want her wasting her teachers time with challenges to their rules.
8 comments:
Stupid. This is similar to rules at Black universities like Hampton which enforce such conduct.
These rules stem from the beliefs of some Blacks that they will fit better into white American society if they adhere to white American beauty and grooming standards. Some Blacks tend to look down on natural African hairstyles more than whites do.
Fela Kuti and others have called this suffering from a colonial mentality. But hair politics run deep in the Black community. It's worse for women than men.
Nadir: Can't black folks ever do anything wrong without tracing blame back to white folks? Are white folks the only people to whom we hold responsible for their mistakes? Just checking.
Maybe some fancy professors believe that European colonialism resulted from Europeans living for so many centuries in caves while Egyptians, Syrians, Iraqis, Persians, Sudanese, and Chinese practiced colonialism, establishing civilization as a construct that included colonialism, leaving ignorant honkies no other examples for when they finally achieved civilization themselves.
To whom may we blame the brutality of the first Egyptian pharaohs?
I don't detect any racism in this policy. I doubt that administrators with this mindset would accept white kids embracing various ancient hairstyles, such as enormous powdered wigs, or dresses, such as men wearing pantaloons and puffy shirts, or caveman loin cloths, or big buckled pilgrim hats. Everything that all people did hundreds of years ago (or even today) in distant lands (or even in this land) doesn't warrant worship, especially mandated worship, by people today.
My friends from Jamaica inform me that most people there hate locks ("dread locks", or whatever term you prefer). I do not consider this to be a form of "self-hatred" or "racism" any more than I would consider it "self-hatred" or "racism" for these same people, or any people, to despise powdered wigs.
In the case of this school, if I was a parent I would conform to the dress code and support the efforts of the teachers and admins to lead the students through rigorous academic matters, and would urge my fellow parents to do the same; if I was an admin, I would push to accommodate excellent students whose families have chosen to take hairstyle this seriously, though I consider it trivial.
"Nadir: Can't black folks ever do anything wrong without tracing blame back to white folks? Are white folks the only people to whom we hold responsible for their mistakes? Just checking."
Yes. And not only that... If Black folks do wrong because they are trying to please white folks, that is Black folks fault as well.
For the record: All individuals are responsible for their own achievements and mistakes.
Why are you offended when I state that Black folks make a mistake by adhering to European standards of beauty? There is nothing wrong with European standards of beauty. The problem is that Black folks have their own standards.
I don't have a problem with nappy headed Black women (I am married to a beautiful one), but Don Imus does. If I listened to Don Imus, I would have to reject my own standards. His standards work for him, and mine work for me. If I start listening to that knucklehead, it's my own fault.
"To whom may we blame the brutality of the first Egyptian pharaohs?"
We must blame those pharaohs. Why are you confused about this? What do you feel guilty about? I didn't say anything bad about white people. Why are you being so defensive?
"My friends from Jamaica inform me that most people there hate locks ("dread locks", or whatever term you prefer). I do not consider this to be a form of "self-hatred" or "racism" any more than I would consider it "self-hatred" or "racism" for these same people, or any people, to despise powdered wigs."
I don't care what your Jamaican friends think about locs. I love the natural look of my hair in locs. They are the ones who have to deal with a barber every two weeks or a beautician every four weeks. That's their hang up, not mine.
They may think that I look primative or unkempt. I don't care. If they underestimate my intellect or my talent because of my hairstyle, that's their problem, not mine.
Paul, you don't understand the politics of African hair. This isn't because it's "a Black thing". From your statements, you just don't understand it. That's okay.
The parents and student had a choice. Which is more important? Is this school the best school in the area? Is this education more important than the student's need to express his culture? Then he should cut his hair. If not, he should find another school or fight for the right to wear his damn hair any way he pleases. It's only hair!
It's a matter of priorities. Is it more important to be yourself or to get a good education. That's a personal choice. If you can get a good education and still be yourself, then be yourself. If you must conform to these outmoded standards of grooming to get a decent education, then play the game. It's only temporary.
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