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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Girl asked to leave school because of locs.

Looking at this picture makes it hard to learn, huh?

For those of us who like to fantasize that everyone on the continent of Africa embraces natural hair. In the articles here, a South African 10th grade student attended school for two years before being suspended for wearing locs. Her parents advocated her and she was allowed to return but they are now suing the school for a public apology.

I find this disturbing for two reasons 1) I assume she was already wearing the locs when she enrolled so why was it a problem two years later 2) an administrator told her she was being difficult and should just wear artificial hair like the other students. I find it galling that an administrator felt she could address a child that was not hers in that manner and had she never seen the girl in the two years she was at the school. This girl had obviously not caused any major disruption (with her hair) in the previous 730 days she'd been attending.

To add insult to injury this child and her family are practicing Rastafari, her hair is an expression of her religious faith.

14 Comments:

PeculiarRoyalty said...

wow thats terrible...hopefully justice is served.

Letty said...

This is crazy.

Anonymous said...

Grrr this makes me mad...I plan to add this to my list of hair frustrations!

Anonymous said...

This is an absolute disgrace. It's bad enough that adults in the states have a hard time with jobs and natural hair (whether it be outright not getting hired, warned about "unprofessional hair choices" or even just being made uncomfortable for choosing to go natural. However, I can't imagine a child being punished for making the decision to embrace her natural hair and rock locs... and in Africa of all places?!? I couldn't believe this story. Thanks for posting it!

Superbizzee said...

Absolutely deplorable. But it doesn't surprise me, being that South Africa holds fast to the most Eurocentric ideal of beauty out of most of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Check out the short non-fiction story “Afro-Kinky Human Hair” by Meri Nana-Ama Danquah in Greg Tate's Everything But The Burden.

BTW...who is the girl in the photo?! Stunning! I love her locs!!!

Anonymous said...

OMG! I LOVE her LOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

She is beauty at it's best!!!

Kimani said...

Why are we being defiant when we wear our natural hair? I believe defiance is wearing someone elses hair, being deceptive... I dont know call me crazy!

Peace and Blessings,

MsKimani

Telle said...

this is outrageous but it doesn't really surprise me! We have a long way to go before we are completely free from this mental slavery.

Anonymous said...

that picture of Valerie June would make it hard to learn..not in a bad way but because her hair is beautiful..I feel my hair is a distraction in my american classes to other students because they simply know no better.

Anonymous said...

This made me feel so sad and angry. "She should wear artificial hair like the other students". The other students should be loc'ing their hair up properly and not wearing cosmetic add-ons to school!

Anonymous said...

Crazy!!!
School Leave Application

Khedijah Iman said...

....itz sad ... but when you dare to be different... you will always encounter ignorance
...I am soo happy that the parents have her back ...praying for this young lady... that her self-esteem is not damaged by the ignorance of others...

WORLDWIDE NATURALS said...

Im not surprised for Eurocentric school system in South Africa & around the world has always brained-washed us to hate our natural beauty & look at beauty as such only when emulating their hair & overall looks but were changing that cause babyyyy natural hair is on the rise worldwide & whoever aint wit it will soon be out-numbered anyways, her administrator will be retiring sooner than she knows...

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