The one systemic injustice diary that stuck with me and I felt strongly to talk about was about a young black girl who went to school just like any other child and was shamed by the teachers and the principal because of her natural hair.
A friend of mines daughter went to school like any other child and while in class her teacher told her to come to the front of the room. The little girl proceeded to go to the front of the room but not knowing why she was called. When she approached the teacher, the teacher told her that she needs to go to the principals’ office to call her mother to come get her because she is a distraction and she needs to do her hair. That is not something that needs to be said to a child. The little girl looked confused because her hair was done. She told the teacher my hair is done my mother did my hair this morning before school. So this teacher thought that because this black little girl had her natural hair in with her natural curly coil locs that her hair was unkept. She said this in front of the whole class, embarrassing the child and she was sent to the principals office where they called her mother.
Her mother came to the school because she was called and was not told why she had to come to get her child but was told she was disrupting the class and other students but she was only annoyed from the teacher because of her racism. So the principal begins to tell the mother that her child needs to be neat and presentable at school and hair done. The mother was outrage and told the principal that they are being racist towards her child and her hair is done and fine. Black girls have natural hair and can wear it as it is; chemicals don’t need to be applied to be neat. She told the principal that she seen several other white students in the school with unkept hair and some with color strips and some with dreads and they seem to have no problem with that. So she told the principal that she will contact the school superintend about the racism in this school towards her daughter and any other black student here. The principal apology and stated he wasn’t being racist. She did disagreed because they wanted to suspend her daughter or expel if she did not get her hair done.
This type of behavior towards a young black African American child can scar them and hurt them. A lot of black people in the past were ashamed to wear their natural hair but now its a staple, its empowerment, its who we are. Black women have and afro texture hair, kinky hair you might say and it fascinates others who don’t have this hair or even makes them jealous. Many black women across the world are embracing their true natural self; its also healthier to have your natural hair.
Thank you for sharing this personal systemic injustice. I definitely agree that the little girl should be able to wear her hair naturally. I do not understand how someone’s hair is a distraction to others. It definitely brings up the argument if the teacher and principal were being racist towards the girl. This topic is also interesting because the girl seemed too young to do her hair herself, therefore she does not have any control over how her hair looks. Furthermore, no matter what it should not be considered a distraction.