School Children & Innocence Stolen

“Unequal policies such as these have led black girls to feel insecure and humiliated about their physical appearance, and subsequently can affect their ability to learn and feel comfortable in academic environments.” –Teen Vogue

As I spoke of in my first blog post I will be posting essays from a series of research I am collecting regarding numerous ways racism impacts Black children in America. The research came about because 1) I see how children are being treated and am appalled to say the least, 2) I see my family/friends and how their children are impacted, 3) I know this is not an isolated occurrence and yet still is being blatantly ignored. Clearly, the lack of attention concerning Black children and the aspect of racism in daily life being ignored is but one more huge red flag I refuse to ignore and do not understand how others can avoid and neglect. Another one is the removal of true history and any cultural acknowledgment but that is for another post.

Doesn’t how children are being wronged matter? Does the future, matter? No child deserves to have to worry about life and death issues, fear from places deemed safe by others or the perpetrators themselves. America is a place where “to serve and protect”,  is frequently selective in whom they are choosing to serve and protect. Even the simple phrase that would issue comfort in some, such as, “call the cops” or “call 911″ is not something too many can say or hear and feel relief. When good people can’t say those phrases and know a good person will arrive to aid them in whatever their situation, that is absolutely not acceptable. Unacceptable as it may be, it is still reality for far too many Americans and sadly with just cause.

The police and racism serves as a huge source of my anger, so I apologize for that bit of random digression…I am sure it will happen more though… The point was how all of this impacts children…

When children are forced to deal with these issues at early ages, of course it has impact and ignoring the trauma it brings does no good to anyone or the situation. Especially when it is as severe, as continuous and unrelenting as racism. Too often have I heard my friends state a fear they have that never crosses my mind and I hate that; I do not want that ‘privilege;‘ but to deny that it exists makes it worse. 

Of course what children see and hear effects how they develop; that is true with all forms of trauma upon children; racism being an issue that is, at the very least, ever-

imposing upon their lives and the lives of those they need and love.

Be it school related, via the media or government the racism in America has had and does have a massive and significant factor on influencing a kid and their sense of self, safety and so forth.

Below is an email I received this morning and feel it important to share. It is yet again a perfect tragedy to use as an example

of ways children are being treated and it is clearly intentional. The below post speaks about a young girl who, like too many others all over America, was sent home due to her hairstyle. She has been wearing her hair the same way for the past few years with no kids being mesmerized and distracted from learning due to some “outlandish” hairstyle!

Her hair was not the reason said kid failed last year, her hair did not cause any form of distraction until the first day of school this year. The school told a family member they don’t allow “wigs, extensions, hairpieces…” which the family states they didn’t know about.

Even if they knew about it it would be wrong. The humiliation they forced upon her and the tears they ignored of a child at an already sensitive age socially was cruel as it is anytime this happens, which sadly is not infrequently.

I shouldn’t have to say this but sadly it does matter, as does signing petitions. Despite what many believe petitions have, can and do get things taken care of in one form or another… So please sign or at least share the following…

Email I received:

This year, the hottest trend in education is discrimination. This week the trend hit Louisiana where an elementary school sent a little girl home because she didn’t have “natural” hair.

The video shows a young African-American student named Faith, dressed in her school uniform, crying and gathering her belongings. Her relatives plead with school officials not to send her home.

These arbitrary hairstyle policies disproportionately affect African-American students who use certain styles as a way to make their hair more manageable and fashionable. Please sign the petition asking Faith’s school to change their discriminatory policies.

According to one of the girl’s relative, the school only told them about the new policy that stipulates “extensions, wigs, hairpieces of any kind are not allowed” on the first day of school itself. Faith and her family had no idea. She has been attending this school for two years with the same hairstyle and now, from one day to the next, it’s suddenly a problem.

What’s more is that, instead of allowing her to finish the day at school with just a warning, administrators decided to humiliate her publicly.

As Teen Vogue says: “Unequal policies such as these have led black girls to feel insecure and humiliated about their physical appearance, and subsequently can affect their ability to learn and feel comfortable in academic environments.”

This nonsense must end, as they only serve to “otherize” and discriminate. Please sign the petition and ask school administrators at Christ the King Elementary School in Terrytown, Louisiana to change their discriminatory hair policy and start focusing on what’s important — their students’ education, not their hair.