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Parents angered over 'racist' school dress code

A school has been called out for its ‘racist’ dress code, which parents claim was changed specifically to discriminate.

On August 12, Randi Woodley, from the US state of Texas, was called into her grandson’s school for a meeting with the principal.

The issue the principal wanted to discuss was her grandson, Michael Trimble’s hair. Ms Woodley has had custody of her grandson, who is now four, since he was four-months-old.

“He told me that I could either cut it, braid it and pin it up, or put my grandson in a dress and send him to school,” Ms Woodley said of the conversation with the school’s Superintendent in an interview with KETK News.

Ms Woodley is now asking for the school board to rethink the school rules, and she isn’t the only parent doing so.

“I will be here at every board meeting,” Ms Woodley said at the school board meeting on September 9, according to KETK.

“I will fight to get all the rules changed.”

A grandmother from Texas was given three choices on what to do about her grandson's hair. Source: KETK.
A grandmother from Texas was given three choices on what to do about her grandson's hair. Source: KETK News

Many other parents attended the meeting on Monday night, saying the school’s dress code discriminates against African American boys.

According the the Tatum school district student dress code, student’s hair must be clean, well-groomed and should not obstruct vision.

Only “natural hair colours” are allowed and “symbols, letter, or extreme designs cut into the hair” are prohibited. However, the rules for male student’s hair are particularly strict.

“No ponytails, ducktails, rat-tails, man bun or puffballs shall be allowed on male students,” the code says.

“ALL make hair of any type SHALL NOT extend below the top of a t-shirt collar, as it lays naturally.”

According to a petition in favour of Ms Woodley’s cause, after initially being told Michael’s hair was too long and possibly distracting in its natural state, Ms Woodley braided her grandson’s hair.

That is when she was told to ‘pin up’ her grandson’s hair.

“When will the racial discrimination and injustice towards our sons, brothers, uncles, husbands, and friends stop?” the petition reads.

The petition now has over 6000 signatures, with a goal of 7500.

Parents fronted up to the meeting on Monday night with signs saying, "My hair is my crown" and "No one is free when others are oppressed", according to CBS19.

"We shouldn't even be talking about this at any age,” Ms Woodley told KETK News.

“Because hair has nothing to do with learning.”

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