Charter School Selectively Enforced Racist Hair Policy Until Twins Spoke Out (VIDEO)

These girls were banned from prom and track over their hair extensions. Meet Mya and Deanna Cook:

Image via Facebook video screenshot.

The school policy says no hair dye or hair extensions, but the white kids were allowed to have streaks and highlights. This is completely unfair, and some are saying that it is racist because the school seems to be targeting the Black students. Other Black students were told that they couldn’t wear their naturally curly hair as well. They were told to put it in cornrows or chemically straighten it.

The girls received daily detentions for two weeks because of their refusal to take down their braids. Other students received suspensions over the policy.

Aaron Cook’s adopted daughters were embracing their culture and asked if they could get hair extensions and wear braids past their shoulders. They made national headlines and prompted debate over discriminatory dress code policies in schools.

Cook said:

“They’re almost 16 years old, they’re sort of coming into their own trying to explore what it means to be a black girl being raised by white parents. They’re trying to begin to really develop their own unique identity out from under my wife and I and our wings of shelter. We sort of knew that the kids were in it for the long haul and so my wife and I have really simply tried to support them.”

The school has stopped enforcing the policy for now, but Cook says that isn’t good enough. They have gotten the NAACP and the ACLU involved.

Janai Nelson, associate director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, told Newsweek:

“We are exploring legal options against the school and among them is, of course, potential litigation to challenge the school’s policy and the enforcement of that policy. We are concerned that Mystic Valley only suspended the policy but did not rescind it all together and has not announced what it would do regarding past discipline that students have suffered under this policy, including a student who was suspended for it. So until we are confident that African-American students at the charter school will not be treated in a discriminatory way and will not be subject to discriminatory policies, we will continue to pursue this issue.” 

Many have said that the policy is racially biased. Hopefully, the school will rethink the policy in the next school year.

Here is an Associated Press clip about the story:

Featured image via YouTube screenshot.

Hi, I'm from Huntsville, AL. I'm a Liberal living in the Bible Belt, which can be quite challenging at times. I'm passionate about many issues including mental health, women's rights, gay rights, and many others. Check out my blog weneedtotalkaboutmentalhealth.com