DeAndre Arnold deserves an apology

[ [link removed] ]DeAndre Arnold deserves an apology[ [link removed] ][IMG]

And Superintendent Greg Poole owes the school district an
anti-hair-discrimination policy. 

[ [link removed] ]Take action

John,

It’s happening again. Last week, Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu,
Texas, not only suspended student, DeAndre Arnold, for refusing to cut his
dreadlocks, but threatened to bar him from attending his own graduation
ceremony if he does not cut his hair.^1 The school claims that DeAndre’s
dreadlocks violate the school district’s dress code - but we know what
this is really about. Yet another school district is creating a hostile
environment for Black students by criminalizing the way they wear their
hair. Their decision to target DeAndre continues a long-standing trend of
harassing Black students with racist policies that discriminate against
natural hairstyles. Not only should DeAndre’s suspension be reversed and
he be allowed to participate in his graduation—but the school district
needs to apologize and ensure that no other student faces this
humiliation. That’s why we’re calling on Barbers Hill Independent School
District Superintendent Greg Poole to create an anti-hair-discrimination
policy to protect the Black students and families that the district
serves.

[ [link removed] ]DeAndre Arnold deserves an apology. Sign now to demand that
Superintendent Greg Poole create an anti-hair-discrimination policy to
protect our children.

Schools should be safe places where Black children can learn without fear
of marginalization because of the way they wear their
hair.  Unfortunately, they have instead been places where learning
stops because of the way they wear their hair. Last year, 6 year-old
Clinton Stanley Jr. was sent home from A Book’s Christian Academy for
having dreadlocks,^2 and 11 year old Faith Finnedy was sent home from her
school, Christ the King for wearing box braids.^3 These policies shape the
way Black kids see themselves and give permission to racist institutions
and educators to discriminate against them without repercussion. DeAndre
has said that he wears dreadlocks because they connect him to his family
and his heritage. Any institution that is committed to his well-being
should be encouraging that connection, not punishing it. Without an
anti-hair discrimination policy in place, students like DeAndre will
continue to be disrespected and degraded by the institutions that are
supposed to nurture them.

[ [link removed] ]Black children have a right to dignity in education! Sign now to demand
Superintendent Greg Poole institute an anti-hair-discrimination policy for
the district today.

Every day, Black folks are being robbed of employment opportunities,
educational opportunities, and our dignity because employers and
institutions can code their racism in dress code policies and concepts
like ‘professionalism’ that were designed to keep us out. This
conditioning starts early, shapes how we see ourselves, and fuels the
narrative that our hair and our skin are embodiments of our oppression,
when they are actually embodiments of our pride. Black people across the
country, many of whom have had experiences in schools and workplaces just
like DeAndre's, have been making their voices heard in the fight against
hair discrimination. And it's working! It's because our community refuses
to accept these kinds of injustices that three anti-hair-discrimination
bills were passed in New York, California, and New Jersey last year. And
with a recent federal anti-hair-discrimination bill being introduced to
Congress for the first time in December, we're sending a clear message: We
deserve to wear our hair in ways that feel celebratory of our personal
power and who we are as a people. That's why we're counting on you to take
action today to demand that Superintendent Greg Poole create an
anti-hair-discrimination policy for the district and that he reverse
DeAndre’s suspension immediately.

[ [link removed] ]The time to stand up for Black students is now. Sign now to ensure that
students like DeAndre Arnold are no longer punished for taking pride in
who they are.

Until justice is real, 
—Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade,  Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani,
Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change
team

References:

 1. "Black Texas Teen told to cut his dreadlocks to walk graduation,” NBC
News, January 22, 2020,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 2. “6 year old with dreadlocks banned from private school in Orange
county,” Orlando Sentinel, August 14 2018,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 3. “Louisiana girl sent home from school over braided hair extensions,”
NBC News, August 22, 2018,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ [link removed] ]Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black
folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. [ [link removed] ]Help
keep our movement strong.

<style type="text/css">

blockquote .original-only,
.WordSection1 .original-only
{
display: none !important;
}

</style>

<div class=".original-only">

You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]
</div>