Louisiana Student Sent Home Over School's 'Natural Hair' Policy

On Monday, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta star Tokyo Vanity posted a heartbreaking video on her Instagram page, showing her niece’s tearful reaction after she was told her hairstyle violated her school’s hair policy. Yes, a Louisiana Student was sent home for a natural hair policy.

“Hi guys this my niece … she was humiliated at school today at Christ The King School in Gretna Louisiana. … she was pulled out of class amongst several other black girls a suspended for hair extensions,” Vanity wrote.

According to a report by WGNO, Christ The King administrators told the girl and her parents that her box braids were not complaint with the “natural hair” policy. The Catholic school, located in Terrytown, Louisiana, serves students from pre-k to seventh grade.

In the video you can hear the girl’s parents questioning administrators and their reasoning.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtTAhqHBbb/?hl=en&taken-by=tokyoxvanity

School officials say the timeline of events date back to last week when the student arrived to school with a braided style and was sent home. Her mother agreed to have the child’s hair redone into a box braid style, but when she arrived to school, officials told her it was not compliant.

“At that point the parent made the decision to remove her child from the school,” said Archdiocese Catholic Schools Superintendent RaeNell Billiot Houston in an interview with the outlet.

The video made the rounds on social media after activist Shaun King tweeted about the incident, detailing the use of Christianity in certain spaces to propel forth white supremacist notions.

https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1031823052554858496

After further review, King said he discovered the school began the policy this summer.

https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1031827865808105473

The shocking video also speaks to other incidents where students of color have been singled out for hairstyles which tribute their African ancestry. Last week a six-year-old boy in Florida was told he could not begin the school year at a private Christian academy unless he cut off his dreadlocks.

There seems to be a far-reaching cognitive gap with employers and educators which permeates the workplace and classroom, forcing people of color to feel ostracized for wearing their hair the way it grows out of their head.

The issue has also made its way to the Supreme Court where in May, justices decided against hearing an Alabama woman’s 2010 case after she lost a job offer because she refused to cut off her dreads. What do you think about a Louisiana Student being sent home for the natural hair policy?