When Children’s Hair Breaks School Rules

Boston’s Malden Charter School served up detention slips to twin sisters for wearing box braids. A 12-year-old at Texas’ Faith Christian Academy, having complained about bullying related to her Afro puffs, is told to straighten her hair or face expulsion. In San Diego, a sophomore boy missed three school days because he refused to cut his braids. He was also slapped with an “insubordination” suspension. When these children (and their parents) refuse to conform, school authority figures threaten their education for wearing their hair the way it grows—naturally—from their heads. Students gained strength and support from one another with the advent of the #SupportThePuff and #PickFrosNotFights hashtags. When children’s natural hair breaks school rules, what is the appropriate, effective response? What recourses are available? And how do you frame the fight for affected, hurt, and traumatized students?