Suspended for Wearing Hair Extensions
4th September 2018 · 0 Comments
Christ the King Elementary School under fire for suspending two students over their hairstyles
Two African-American sixth-grade girls who attend Christ the King Elementary School in Terrytown were asked to leave the school after they were questioned about their braided hair extensions by educators in front of their classmates last week.
Tyrielle Davis and Faith Fennidy were forced to leave the campus a day apart after school officials said their braided hair extensions violated school policy. One teacher at the school went so far as to question one of the girls about the length her hair had grown over the past year and pulled out a school yearbook to compare her hair from a year ago to the length of her hair last week.
One of the girl’s mother explained that her daughter wore braided extensions because a medical condition had caused some of her hair to fall out.
Among those who came to the girls’ defense last week were the Urban League of Louisiana, the Anti-Defamation League and the Baton Rouge Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The Associated Press reported that some accused Christ the King Middle School of racism, including social activist Shaun King on Twitter and rapper T.I. on Instagram.
Sixth-grader Faith Fennidy’s brother Steven posted Facebook video showing her leaving school with relatives. Her braids are pulled back and hang slightly below the neckline.
Fennidy’s post says there are practical reasons for the hair extensions.
“Extensions make the hair easier to maintain. It allows my sister to have access to the swimming pool without having to get her hair re-done every night,” his post said. He said the school wouldn’t compromise.
The family told WWL-TV they are considering a discrimination lawsuit.
“This policy was communicated to all parents during the summer and again before the first day of school,” Archdiocese of New Orleans Schools Superintendent RaeNell Houston said in a statement to media. “Furthermore, the school leadership worked with families as needed to ensure compliance.”
The Anti-Defamation League, South Central Region and the Urban League of Louisiana issued a joint statement late Tuesday voicing concern about the school’s “racially insensitive grooming policy.”
“ADL and the Urban League are deeply troubled by the policy in question as well as the manner in which the school is disciplining students of color under this policy,” the statement said. “The policy shows racial insensitivity and bias by the administration to students and their families.”
The statement said the groups called for the school to revise the policy, withdraw current disciplinary action issued under it and apologize to the affected students. “It should also implement reasonable grooming standards that foster learning while respecting diversity, as well as institute cultural competence and anti-discrimination training for all staff.”
The video shows Faith Fennidy appearing to fight back tears while adults around her can be heard in a brief, contentious discussion. “I don’t want this to happen,” a woman is heard saying. A man who refers to Faith as his daughter curtly replies, “Yes, you do.” Faith slips a pink backpack emblazoned with images of fern leaves and wild animals onto one shoulder and walks out of the building.
Reactions to the Facebook post were largely against the school. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with her hair,” was typical of many.
Some posters acknowledged the private school’s authority to make such rules, but were still critical of the policy.
Others accused the school of targeting Black hairstyles.
“Let’s be clear — this is Christianity as White Supremacy,” King’s tweet read.
Civil District Court Judge Piper Griffin on Thursday granted a temporary restraining order against Christ the King Elementary School following backlash over the school’s hair policy.
The families of Tyrielle Davis and Faith Fennidy filed a legal petition after they were removed from class for violating the school’s hair policy. Their families argue that the policy is discriminatory and adversely affects minority girls.
The temporary restraining order that was signed by Judge Griffin prevents Christ the King Elementary School, its principal Dawn Swear Costello and the Archdiocese of New Orleans from enforcing the policy and keeping students out of class. The restraining order will remain in place until the court can decide whether or not it will place a temporary or permanent injunction to stop the school from upholding the new policy.
The school’s new ordinance came into question after a video showing Fennidy being kicked out of class because of her hair went viral online. She was told by administrators that her braided hair extensions violated the school’s policy.
Superintendent of the Archdio-cese of New Orleans Catholic Schools RaeNell Billiot Houston released a statement in response to the lawsuit saying, “We continue to reach out to the family and attorney with the goal of having the student return to the school.”
Billiot met with the families Thursday to discuss the school’s policy.
The families of both students have said that no Blacks were involved in the creation of the school’s hair policy and that they want the policy, which targets African-American students, to be scrapped altogether.
“I am Faith Fennidy’s brother,” the sixth-grader’s sibling said in a statement Friday afternoon. “My sister Faith was deeply hurt by the intolerant actions taken by Christ the King school. Since that time, Faith has received overwhelming support from thousands of people all over the world – ranging from celebrities to children her age living in different countries. Faith and our family would like to thank everyone for their love, prayers, encouragement and support. These expressions of support and reassurance are helping to lift Faith’s spirits during this difficult time and we are grateful for them.
“Faith did not ask to be put in this position,” he continued. “But we are proud at the courage she has shown in standing up for what is right. It is our hope that through sharing the story of Faith’s painful experience that girls of all ethnic backgrounds will no longer be condemned based on their appearance and can be proud of who they are and how they look.
“Please continue to support Faith, use her experience as motivation to fight for change and not remain silent in the face of inequality. Our family will fight this injustice prayerfully and positively. We will not combat hate with hate – but rather with love and peace. We ask that all of Faith’s supporters do the same. Thank you again for encouraging Faith during this difficult time.”
A new Care2 petition is calling on Christ the King Elementary School to change its discriminatory hair policy. The Care2 petition had gathered over almost 9,000 signatures as of press time.
The Care2 petition was started in support of the family after video of the incident was shared on Twitter.
“A student’s hairstyle, especially something as harmless as extensions, doesn’t negatively affect their ability to learn or participate in class,” reads the Care2 petition, “but punishing them because of their chosen style can, in fact, have those unwanted effects.”
According to a member of the student’s family, the policy, which stipulates “extensions, wigs, hairpieces of any kind are not allowed” is new and was just announced on the first day of school, giving the family no time to prepare.
“Never mind the purely arbitrary nature of these policies,” cites Care2, “they also disproportionately affect African-American students who use these styles as a way to make their hair more manageable and stylish.”
This is the second case of a child being sent home from school based on hairstyle in just the past two weeks.
There is also a Care2 petition that has gathered over 14,000 signatures targeting a Florida elementary school to change their policy after the school sent home a six-year-old boy for having dreadlocks.
“Call it whatever you want, but it’s no more than racial bullying by teachers and administrators at that school,” Imani James, a West Bank resident, told The Louisiana Weekly. “That had to be a traumatizing experience for those girls, being singled out in front of their classmates and criticized for the way their hair looked.
“What’s amazing to me is that many people of color pay huge amounts of tuition to these parochial schools, only to be told in many different ways that they are unworthy and defective.”
“The bottom line is that this is what happens when we place our children into the hands of people who don’t value or respect us,” Ramessu Merriamen Aha, a New Orleans businessman and former congressional candidate, told The Louisiana Weekly. “What other group of people expects groups of people who oppress them to properly care for and educate their children?”
This article originally published in the August 27, 2018 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
