However, Butler Traditional High School in Louisville has decided “dreadlocks”, “braids”, “twists, and “cornrolls” (which we’re assuming they mean cornrows) are “extreme”, “distracting” and ultimately not allowed to be worn by any of its students”.
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Kentucky State Representative elect Attica Scott is raising questions about a school policy on hair in Louisville.
Scott says the policy is a form of racism. In an attempt to make her case more forcefully, Scott also tweeted images of highly successful public figures, including Oprah and Beyoncé, with their hair in braids.
Butler Traditional High’s school-based decision-making committee chose to suspend the portion of the dress code addressing hair styles.
The beauty and versitility of natural hair is something that should be celebrated – not dismissed.
Scott said the policy “stinks of institutional racism”, saying the policy disproportionately affects black students, and several others in the community joined in a chorus of concern over the policy.
JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens said administrators don’t want to infringe on the many cultures in the school district.
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“I don’t understand why we’re going to focus on something like natural hair styles when we should be focused on education”. They are also forbidden to have highlights or colored hair not qualified as a “natural hair color”. Nonetheless, they said they would review it, and asked all Louisville schools to revisit their own dress codes. In 2014, a 12-year-old private school student in Florida blew up the Internet over reports that she was threatened with expulsion over her naturally “puffy” hair being a “distraction”.
