Texas College District Stated Black Boy Should Lower His Hair

A Texas grandmother is reporting discriminatory practices by her Four-year-old grandson’s faculty superintendent. Now, dad and mom within the district are demanding change. 

Randi Woodley claims she was advised to go to the principal’s workplace on her grandson, Michael “Tink” Trimble’s first day of faculty at Tatum Main College as a result of his hair was too lengthy. There, Woodley mentioned the superintendent gave her three choices. 

“He advised me that I might both reduce it, braid it and pin it up, or put my grandson in a costume and ship him to high school, and when prompted, my grandson should say he’s a woman,” she advised KETK. 

The Tatum, Texas, grandmother mentioned the discrimination begins within the faculty district’s costume code, which states hair mustn’t “lengthen previous the highest of a t-shirt collar” and that for male college students there are “no ponytails, ducktails, rat-tails, male buns, or puff balls are allowed.”

On Monday (September 12), enraged dad and mom stood with Woodley at a Tatum Unbiased College District board assembly, holding indicators that included messages like, “I stand with Tink,” which is the little boy’s nickname. 

Woodley isn’t the one dad or mum to report discriminatory practices particular to hairstyles. 

“My son got here residence, and mentioned, ‘Mother, I believe there’s one thing improper with my hair,” Kambryn Cox advised KETK about her son’s expertise in the identical faculty district.

Cox mentioned her son, Kellan, was advised he couldn’t put on his dreadlocks in a ponytail. 

“With my son’s dreadlocks, generally they do fall in entrance of his face,” she mentioned. “So I felt it could be simpler to place his hair up, however then that’s an issue.” 

Cox added, “I train him to be his personal particular person, and I don’t assume he ought to ever really feel insecure.”

The superintendent mentioned she is “not but” able to make a touch upon the claims. 

Woodley feels the state of affairs is pointless and shouldn’t affect her grandson’s schooling.

“We shouldn’t even be speaking about this at any age,” she mentioned. “As a result of hair has nothing to do with studying.” 

A petition in honor of Tink, titled “The Civil Rights Violation of a 4 12 months Previous African-American Tatum, Texas Boy,” was began and has garnered 7,460 signatures, which is simply shy of 40 signatures to succeed in the 7,500 purpose.  

Along with group help, Woodley’s combat can be backed by Atlanta non-profit group the New Order Nationwide Human Rights Group, which she hopes may help Tink “be who he’s,” reviews CNN.