*The Deborah Brown Community School has changed its policy, and now recognizes fros and locs as acceptable styles. Read more about it here.*
The father of a 7‑year-old Oklahoma girl felt he had no choice but to pull his daughter out of school after repeated hassling from school officials who said her locs detracted from the educational atmosphere. Terrance Parker, who is a barber, claims the school repeatedly reprimanded him about his daughter’s locs although they are kept neat, and she is a straight A student.
The school’s dress code states that “hairstyles such as dreadlocks, afros, mohawks, and other faddish styles are unacceptable.” But Mr Parker contends that Tiana attended school last year without issue.
Now the twist here, is that the school, Deborah Brown Community School, is headed up by mostly black Americans. And it seems they have taken a defiant tone in the midst of the criticism.
Yesterday, after this story went viral online, administrators posted “Out of sight, out of mind” on the school’s Facebook page, which many took to mean that they were unconcerned about Tiana’s absence and the issues surrounding it.
To date, they haven’t given any official statements about their school rules.
A meme has been circulating highlighting the seeming hypocrisy of the school’s policy given that its founder and executive director wears a textured wig.
Ladies, what are your thoughts on all this?
I am both shocked and saddened by this news. I feel horrible for the young girl’s father, and even worse that a black school would treat this child in this way.
hi i recently have moved to natural oils and protective styles.Locks come under a protective style for hair.I feel living in a world where all types afro and locks are still not acceptable.But fake straw like hair is. #NATURAL ALL THE WAY #ONE LOVE
I find it laughable that this school considers these styles as ‘faddish’…really? They stopped being trendy how long ago? These natural styles are here to stay and that school needs to change their archaic rule. How are children supposed to understand and learn about the many differences among us if they are not allowed to be exposed to them? After some serious thought I can never remember hairstyles being a big deal among my peers in school, in the 70’s, when cornrows and afro puffs were a big deal. It only seems like it’s a big deal among some of… Read more »
You raise a good point. If anything straight hair is trendy, since it would appear majority of the worlds population will do anything to achieve straight hair.
Look at YouTube and type straight hair…
Straight hair videos get top hits and you have all different types of nationalities posting how to get your hair straight or straighter.
So what this school is really going against is the norm.
Hhhhmmmm so it was ok for Mr. Tyrone Cook to wear his dreads?? http://www.dbcschool.org/index.php?page=tyrone_cook
wow so a teacher has locks but a little girl cant the video made me mad,but daddy’s got her back so she will be fine.i hope the school comes under more scrutiny and some heads roll.
I’m not shocked by ANY length of racism anymore. Not one. It will only get worse. Not better, not the same, but Worse! And until all black people ingrain this fact into their heads, we’re gonna continue to be that ant (not even a fly) on the wall that nobody gives a true toss about. Stop complaining about racism on a site a site that’s purely intended for us black people. That’s like complaining of there being no meat in a vegan restaurant. Just dum! Start with the mentality. Clearly the supposed finger puppet principal and some of it’s staff… Read more »
Ok I regretfully admit I am not shocked but I am sorely disappointed in this principals behavior. In school of all places? Dear Principal: You should be aware that you and your rules are demolishing the self esteem of children. This child is permanently scarred by this episode of discrimination, yes I used the D word. You should think about what you were like at this young girl’s age. You should also remember that her hairstyle is not her decision and by no means deserves punishment. Additionally, if a hairstyle is a distraction to learning then what are you teaching… Read more »
It’s funny how you call yourself an educator, but didn’t take your time to educate yourself on how peoples hair works. A black man on the website is wearing a small afro, I guess if he grew his hair long it would be considered a fad? Why can’t black people have long hair too? Because it makes beautiful “distracting” afros? You are being an adult bully plain and simple, bad enough parents have to watch out for the students.
Locs are beautiful if kept maintained and healthy but when it isn’t it is an eye sore and looks very messy,if this is the case then the school have a right to enforce that dress code is fitting with the standards of the school and it includes your appearance.
Locs are so underrated within the natural community ,
I love them and hope to get mine done in future.
ANY hairstyle can be messy if not maintained or healthy.
But locks needs specific care,locks Matt up and can look unkempt if the lock is not regularly defined..
And again…
ALL hair needs specific care.
But we are talking about locks here,if this was just about ‘all’ hair then the topic would not be based around this hair style.
There is obviously a reason why this child’s hair was called out,not that I’m saying it’s right but I understand the reasoning behind it.
They should be ashamed to make cry this cute little girl who just wants to go to school ! I think it’s a horrible experience for her because they say the way her hair is styled is bad — out of normal way of being presentable/acceptable. Really it must be quite traumatic, i admire the dad who spoke really calm and with intelligence. She’s just a 7 year old little girl who dresses like a little girl of her age with ribbons&etc, they shouldn’t make her feel incomfortable, i was heartbroken. I have the chance to live in a country where… Read more »
The shock factor isn’t there and to say the least, that’s pretty sad. When you’ve come to expect derogatory and rude remarks from your own race, let alone any others, you have completely been desensitized 🙁 The audacity is astounding though. The purpose is school is to educate. I don’t think that what is naturally growing out of a scalp hinders knowledge from reaching the brain. If academia focused more on that notion instead of something trivial like this little girls’ locs, our nation wouldn’t be in the lowest percentile in all of a developed countries in education. The sheer fact… Read more »
Ignorance.
It’s time to go all in on their FB page and on a letter writing campaign to their district. Other parents/students, please ‘out’ your schools when you see these heinous policies sooner rather than later!
WTF? I’d sue these people so fast they wouldn’t know what hit them. Then laugh them out of the courtroom!
3 words..CALL-YOUR-ATTORNEY. This is just nuts!
Racist Bastards I say..maybe the principle didn’t get enough ass wooping from the KKK and need some more because she’s all wig and white now, the bitch! doing this to our beautiful little brown girl.
Mr. Marvin Gipson’s pimp hat and matching tie are surely violating some sort of code of decency. On a serious note though, it’s disappointing that such great emphasis should be placed on aesthetics at the expense of intellectually engaging children. Humanity has a long way to go it seems.
Oh Lord! I don’t know how much more I can take with all of these awful stories posted this week! I say people fight back and protest just like they did when that Turkish run school tried the same thing a few months ago. With God as my witness, I TRUTHFULLY can’t understand how dreds are considered distracting or inappropriate?? — and I am not just saying it because I am Black. What is so wrong with them? And what a bunch of hypocrites, I saw pictures of some of them sporting natural hair and dreds! I don’t get it??… Read more »
Want to do something about it, besides complaining take a look at this- if you really mean it
http://www.tulsaschools.org/1_Administration/_board_policies/4901.pdf.
It’s an Tulsa schools non discriminatory statement and contact person. Let them know!
Just seeing that “Out of sight out of mind” thing. Anyone that callous about hurting a 7 year old child should not be in the business of caring for children.
When I was in school, you had to get the school’s permission to relax or perm a child’s hair, not permission to retain their own natural hair. Seems like things have gotten twisted around,smh
We all need to do better. The word “Principal” is mis-spelled on the meme. Nonetheless, it’s disgusting that a child has to experience this from our community’s own lack of understanding. This sounds like there is a deeper issue at play with the parent and child and administration may be using this policy as a retaliation tactic. I agree with the above statement and let the law determine whether students with textured hair are being marginalized and targeted. Also, the policy uses “faddish style” as being unacceptable is confusing, because curly wigs and long straight extensions can be interpreted as “faddish”… Read more »
It’s actually not. A principal is the person in charge of a school, a principle is a value our moral. A shockingly high number of people make that mistake.
On the meme it says princpal. LOL so it is mispelled. I think that’s what she meant
*misspelled.
Curly Nikki has this article on her site and I’ll repeat what I wrote there: It has been a full week of combating ignorance. In any event, we as a people have to fight real hard against some of our own warped mentality when it comes to our self image and self esteem among our people as well as fight the “entities” that want to take this country back to the turn of the 20th century. We know who they are I won’t get political. Perhaps we are going through some type of “purging” in order to take our place… Read more »
I would hardly describe dreadlocks as faddish,the only thing that school seems to be teaching is that despite being an A grade student all that matters is how you look
The message is clear. Tone down your blackness. Assimilate to be great
Shahidah you hit the nail on the head!!!!!
This is bullshit at its most epic point. I would never EVER let anyone bully me or my child about their hair. I would NEVER allow my child to feel as if she is less than because others of Her race could not tolerate differences in hair styles. I would NEVER allow this to happen. Ever.
I would have told them to kiss my beautifully formed ethnic black ass and kept right on keeping on, letting my child do the same.
The staff at the school are stupid. Many of the teachers they hire these days have no business teaching, let alone being around children. They were probably jealous that she was smarter than them. The child is a straight A student! I remember in grade school I could read better than my teacher. She would try to pronounce words over me, and would get mad when I corrected her. One time she even called my mother, saying I was misbehaving. My mother called that women to her face, an idiot. She spoke to the Principal, and I was placed with… Read more »
Public tax dollars shouldn’t be used to support such ignorance.
This Principal is wearing a textured wig? Seriously. Isn’t this an “afro” style. This Principal seems like a poster child for hypocrisy and dubiousness. The poster should be circulated. There should be political mobilization to stop this from happening again. To the community, I say take actions to remove these idiots from the school board and other positions. This seems unconstitutional because “afro” applies to a natural hair state of a particular race. Furthermore, how is wearing an afro style relevant to a non serious atmosphere. This seem very subjective and racially charge, irrespective of the source. Sounds like a… Read more »
wow she’s such a cutie pie. only way they could fight this blatant discrimination would be to appeal to whoever is in charge to change the rules against hair. i went to a mostly white private school, and thankfully there were no such rules against dreads and afros- granted i was the only girl at the school who wore an afro, but i promise nobody noticed or commented. i wore twists, plaits, braids, cornrows, summa everything, with no problem, and i wish that other places could be as accepting as my school had been. i’m shocked that such regulations would… Read more »
Every time I see an innocent child cry because of some simple minded adults I feel this anger brewing inside and I want to strike out at the adults wig like an alley cat!
I guess if she wore a big, shiny weave ponytail with exaggerated ringlets it would be okay, or maybe she should have went for a head full of colorful barrettes, that certainly would have been less distracting.
This child is a STRAIGHT A STUDENT, the school should spend less time focusing on her hair and more time commending her for academic excellence!!
How can her hairstyle be a distraction to the educational atmosphere if she is able to achieve straight A’s in said educational atmosphere? It seems to me like the administration was more of a distraction than the student’s CHOICE of hairstyle. What a travesty.
if this is not a private school then all hell should be brought to bear on these ignorant intolerant dumbies.our tax dollars should not be supporting this kind or any kind of intolerance .the idiot who wrote out of sight out of mind is unprofessional at best and stupid and insensitive at the worst , i fear these black admnistrators are the most disrespectful kind because the victim is black let that have been any other race ‚and the tone would have been more professional and conciliatory and I dare say it would have been a no but a nice… Read more »
when i get flack for my hair it’s always from other black people never from people of other ethnic backgrounds. i will also say this we have been wearing locs, twists, braids, and fros since the beginning of time they are not fads.
And THIS is why young girls struggle with accepting thier hair becuase people like the principal put it in thier minds and their hair is not ” acceptable”. Im proud the father takes pride in his little girl and shows her how to love her hair by locking it.
Interesting posts. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The picture of the Principal should be shared with as many people as possible then.
This is discrimination. I hope a lawsuit gets filed.
Parent’s seek Legal Counsel and sue the school for discrimination. It’s a damn shame she has an issue with herself and she has to use her power as a principal to use it against people that don’t.
my heart breaks for this little girl.
I have very high hopes that my fiance and I will be parents some day. When that time comes, woe be the person that criticizes our child for their hair style. Different colors, I’ll understand a little. Cleanliness, sure. But if our child is getting good grades, is a role model for other students, and they want to attack them on their appearance? All hell would break loose in teaching them a lesson in reality — and idiocy.
In 2013 we are still yet to “emancipate ourselves from mental slavery”. The values that we today are placing are no different from what was forced upon black people 50–100 years ago. Are you telling me that we need to process/ put chemicals in our hair to be accepted? being black and having natural hair isn’t good enough. Sad to say Madam Principal you need a reality check. Try listening to some Bob Marley music. Reading some of Marcus Garvey speech and see if you can fit into who you are a black woman. That is how God created us… Read more »
This actually falls under the catergory of bullying because the hairstyle was accepted in the previous school year session-now the parents are being told that it’s reprehensible and detracts from the atmosphere of learning.
A law suit should clarify the school’s agenda-not fun for school insurance polices (quite costly).
This sure brings back memories. My kids went to an elementary school in Zimbabwe which is in Africa. They were sent home because the school ‘did not allow’ dreadlocks, they said ‘dreads’ are untidy.. I would tie up their hair into neat ponytails, braid it etc..In the end I took my kids out of school and home schooled them,before heading out for the USA…and you tell me the same thing is happening in some school here!!!
Not surprised! I used to have locks and yes, some Kenyans tend to find them ‘untidy’.… probably due to our history. I do think things are changing now, with the huge infusion of Rastafarian culture. What really saddens me about Kenya is that one of the schools my nieces attends wont allow them to have their hair braided! So when school starts they have to take their twists or lines/cornrows out and get their perms retouched. This really boggles my brain because its a boarding school and most likely they WONT be able to care for their hair well. Its… Read more »
1st(KNEE-JERK RESPONSE)–I am APPALLED!!! Feels like a slap in the face! How dare they! Damn, if I lived closer, there’d be me & a bunch of my fellow Naturalistas picketing this school & it’s ‘twist out afro’ wig wearing principal- she has some nerve doing this to one of my little girls. How does she sleep at night? I think imma call her & ask her. I googled the school name, so here ya go if any of you have questions as well. Deborah Brown Community School Address: 2 S Elgin Ave, Tulsa, OK 74120 ********Phone:(918) 425‑1407*******& THEN my response had… Read more »
Man, self-hatred is a trip! This school should be ashamed of themselves. But honestly, is that any different from Hampton University banning their male Business majors from wearing braids or locs? I think not! We as a people are internalizing and are hastily making decisions that we “believe” will help us “fit in” better in this White man’s world. Little do most of us realize that many of us naturalistas and loc wearing people are making great careers and lives for ourselves.
There’s currently a petition going around concerning this issue: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/natural-hair-is-not-a-crime/
the goal is to get as much national attention as possible. School rules or not, this is child abuse and if it were my child,this school would be hearing from my lawyer.
Despite natural hair being common and even glorified online, I still get the craziest comments from all types of people on and off campus, but at the very least they don’t come directly from my institution.
This little girl’s school is a charter school located in Oklahoma. Charter schools are for-profit entities that use taxpayer funding but are not required to post their academic ratings (as public schools do). The average classroom in public schools has 16 students per teacher. This school has 22 students. This school has a “contract” that parents must sign requiring them to actively work with their child’s homework assignments and adhere to a strict dress code.
“F!” that school baby, you do your best at your new school that accepts your hair the way it is!!I don’t have dreads but I have a fade and I love my hair, I haven’t been fired from my job yet! So, be you baby, and don’t cry! We love you. And I hope you read this. You are beautiful and keep your grades up! 🙂
My main issue concerns the fact that many entities consider afros and dreads ‘faddish’, as if ritualistically applying chemicals to change the natural texture of one’s hair is not faddish. Im disgusted by the fact that a lot of people, even in the black community, see natural hair as a trend.
I hope her father hires a lawyer and blast this principle and this school for discrimination and harassment. Certain things you shouldn’t just sit down and take you have to fight for what’s right otherwise things will never change. Poor little girl she shouldn’t have to suffer because of the ignorance and evilness of others.
Im just confused as to how her hairstyle could negatively distract the learning environment. The principal/founder needs to be ashamed of herself for reprimanding a child who is a straight A student because of the way she wears her hair. I also agree that this a form of bullying.
I’m confused here… How is that a young lady getting good grades in school is being ridiculed about her hair… by the school? Is that what matters!? I’m honestly disgusted by this. I love being a little black girl. Grew up in a house where both of my parents have dreads and have been natural my whole life. I really hope that this young woman grows up with a strong enough foundation to know that this schools ignorance should not deter her away from loving every bit of her chocolate skin and every inch of her kinky hair!!! There is… Read more »
The fact that this little girl would have to chemically/thermally alter her natural texture or wear a wig to attend this school, charter or not, is unacceptable.
If afros aren’t allowed, how are the black boys supposed to wear their hair? Bald?
I feel schools across the US need to evaluate and re-define these type of policies as they are out of date. Maybe 10 or 20 years ago afros (big afros) and dreadlocks were not the norm and considered faddish, but times are changing. Schools are more diversified and natural hair is more the norm. Just like workplaces are adapting to the changing times, so should schools.
How is an Afro, the equivalent to wearing your hair “down” for looser textures, a “faddish” style?? I can understand having a size/length limit — I had a white male classmate with very curly red hair in elementary school whose hair grew to be quite large, and he was asked to trim it down because it really was distracting and there was a general limit on boys hair length — but I think locks should be in the same category as braids. It’s like they just picked these things out and said “yup, I think we covered all the faddish… Read more »
This is really pitiful and hypocritical since the principal is wearing a twist out wig!! Black people please wake up and accept what God created on your head, this Eurocentric brainwashing has to stop!!
WOW..and the founder of the school is caught wearing a textured twist out wig? I guess I just don’t get it. I don’t see anything faddish about locs, or natural hair at all. This father needs to hire a lawyer and sue…plain and simple…it appears the school is NOT willing to address this issue with him and come to some compromise. More disgusting than anything is the was the whole notion that you can not be taken seriously if your hair is in locs, afro, or a mohawk. Are we still trying to hold on to those old tired unrealistic… Read more »
*or
I don’t have kids,but I do have neices and I see how they struggle to fit their hair into the Euro standard of beauty and it makes me sad. Between this, sheryl, Don Imus racial slur confirmed Dl hughley, how in the world are young black girls ever going to learn to love their hair w/o weaves and perms. And I don’t have a problem with weaves,extensions and perms,but would like for young girls to have the option of forgoing the others if they wish without ridicule. I know parents should instill self-love and esteem in their kids, but sometimes… Read more »
I’m even more disgusted at the “out of sight, out of mind” comment posted on Facebook. Like seriously?!!! So disrespectful, immature and unprofessional!
This is the residual of thorough “slave-training”. As a principal she should know that to dehumanize and embarass a child through self-esteem attacks on their hair, (or anything else), can have lasting negative effects. This can manifest in academic and social-interactive perormance and capabilities.
She is foolish, uncaring and mostly ‘dangerous’ to the minds that she is ultimately responsible for.
Her father should get a lawyer and truly sue the Principal , the district and the state. That would be a learning opportunity for his daughter to witness the lesson of standing up for yourself and defending what your truths are!
When are we going to stop dwelling on trivia things and be concerned about the well being of others. AS Blacks we must remember where we came from. I can remember the days when it was the natural high styles and the hot straightening combs and we did not use chemicals. I am sad for the little girl, because she is wearing her natural hair and being ridiculed for something she has no control of. When are we going to stop beating one another up and accept others as God has blessed them. We are all beautiful, because we were… Read more »
I feel as if this represents a lot of issues going on in the world today, but mainly this is the perfect example of what we are teaching our kids today. Remember, there was a Caucasian girl who they sent home on picture day because her hair was apparently a distraction and unacceptable (she had her hair in a hair bow bun). I’m so sick of uniforms and these school rules about children not being able to wear their hair a certain way when the school officials get away with it. They are teaching our children that being different is… Read more »
That school should be ashamed of themselves. They should acknowledge that dread locks and Afro puffs are traditional hairstyles. Also, the Afro puff is what our hair does when it’s been combed or brushed. They cannot ban the nature of someone’s hair. It’s absurd!
Every time I see that beautiful child cry breaks my heart. This is absolutely a damn shame and the principal wearing a curly textured wig what the hell? I am getting so sick and tired of this self hatred. Parents please sue!
When I first heard about this i didn’t know it is a black run school but unfortunately I’m not suprised. Our people are so brainwashed it’s pathetic and sad. What really bothers me about our people now is that it is not only acceptable but expected for black women to wear fake hair. Don’t get me wrong I’m not dogging people who choose to wear weaves, etc. I did it for a while but only when my hair broke off really bad from relaxers but I hated it and couldn’t wait until my hair was strong and healthy again. The… Read more »
Yes well welcome to Oklahoma. The blacks are often times very self hating in the sooner state. Not all, but a great deal of them are. Because it’s Oklahoma, I’m not shocked.
They are more concerned with this child’s hair than her educational well being, shame on them.…..and is that really the principal cause that with put the “hot” in mess, the nerve.
They are more concerned with this child’s hair than her educational well being, if you are busy teaching and administrating how do you even have time to worry about 1 students hair style? shame on them.…..and is that really the principal cause that wig put the “hot” in mess, the nerve.
It’s sad that the people that hurt and critize the most are those that are actually LIKE you!!! Sad…Glad the girl has gone to another school and that she’s still wearing her dreads!
It saddens me to know that the focus is on this young lady’s hair. Some of our people still have the “slave” mentality. This is a student who makes excellent grades,yet her natural hair is the conversation.Education should be the concern.“Our people are destroyed by the lack of knowledge” Wake Up People!!! Sue those people involved.
While it is a shame that an African-American driven school could not promote the health and well being of a small child and her hair, I think pulling her out was something he should have done sooner. Why put your child through that? Instilling pride in who she is and our natural hair can often be one person at a time. Taking her out before the damage was done would have spoken volumes to the Principal and to his child. I will not change the beauty that is you my daughter, and I will not let someone else define it… Read more »
Not shocked!Afterall we are talking about Oklahoma!!
This is crazy what next you cant attend school unless you bleach your skin I dont think they would have the audacity to do this in London
[…] to publish another piece like this. Just months after an Ohio school banned afro puffs and 7‑year-old Tiana Parker faced constant harassment from school administrators for her locs, another eeriely similar […]
Dreadlocks are not traditional,its a choice a lifestyle choice,so it is considered a fad,just like a white child wearing braids-it would be considered a fad hairstyle on a child who is not black.
However to ask her to now change this is too harsh.
ALL hairstyles are a fad. Afros, twists, braids and locks are apart of natural hairstyles. This school is run by a generation of people who were conditioned to conform with European standards and to hate natural black hair.
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