I read a disturbing article today (a video of the news clip is below). It's from 2009, but I just saw it today and it bothers me to no end. There's just so much wrong, I don't know where to begin!
The case is centered around an elementary student who's teacher "became frustrated" and cut off part of one of the little girl's braids. SAY WHAT?
Forget the commentary on race, gender, etc. that is undoubtedly connected to this issue for a second. My first question is if the teacher was "frustrated" why didn't she send the girl to detention or the principal's office!? Is that not the proper protocol for students misbehaving in class? The article says the little girl was playing with her hair, which I don't classify as misbehaving, but then why was the teacher frustrated!?
Ok, now that we've pointed out how absolutely idiotic the entire notion is, on to other issues. The comments below the article were atrocious. One comment-er makes the excuse that perhaps the teacher didn't know it was her real hair "because Black people wear weave." O_O The assumption that all Black people wear weave is problem one. The assumption that your weave is not your personal property is problem number two (it costs a nice fortune for weave braids!). The justification of invading a child's personal space, cutting her hair (natural or otherwise) and thus damaging her physical appearance is the culmination of problems. I couldn't decide which made me madder: the teacher or the ignorance in the comments.
My little cousins wear braids like this to school all the time. I wore braids like this when I was a kid. As someone who thoroughly dislikes being around children I have never thought to do something like this to a child... Who are we letting teach our kids? Why is this acceptable? And can I cut her child's hair--better yet, can I cut the teacher's hair?
