NAVAJO BOY DENIED ADMISSION: HAIR IS TOO LONG (racism/education)

http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/five-year-old-navajo-boy-denied-admission-first-day-school-hair-long/

SEMINOLE, TEXAS — For five-year-old Malachi Wilson, the first day of kindergarten will always be one he remembers. As it turns out, Monday, which was the first day of school for students at F.J. Young Elementary School in Seminole, Texas, was not Malachi’s first day of school because he was sent home because of the length of his hair.

School principal Sherrie Warren informed April Wilson, Malachi’s mother, that Malachi’s hair is too long since he is a boy; therefore, he would not be able to attend classes until he got a haircut.

Malachi is Navajo on his father’s side of the family and Kiowa on his mother’s side.

Seminole is located in southwest Texas. F. J. Elementary School is home of the Seminole Indians. A sign near the school’s gymnasium reads: “Welcome to the Tribe.”

Wilson told Warren that Malachi is Native American and she and her husband don’t believe in cutting his hair. Malachi has never had a haircut, except for trims at the ends to keep it his hair healthy.

She explained to the principal that for religious beliefs Native Americans consider hair sacred and spiritual. The principal then asked Wilson if she could prove Malachi is Native American.

“I told her yes and told her what tribe he is part of,” Wilson told the Native News Online on Wednesday night.

Even with the explanation, Warren would not relent. Malachi was denied admission on his first day of kindergarten.

“I ENROLLED HIM BACK IN JUNE SO I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL SET FOR MALACHI TO ATTEND SCHOOL ON MONDAY,” WILSON SAID. “I CHECKED THE ‘NATIVE AMERICAN’ BOX ON THE ENROLLMENT FORM. PEOPLE TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL.

After Malachi and his mother left the school, Wilson called the Navajo Nation to assist in the documentation process. She also called a member of the American Indian Movement, who called the school district’s superintendant.

By mid-afternoon, the school called Wilson to inform her that Malachi could attend school the next day if she was willing to sign an exemption form with a brief explanation why Malachi wears his hair long.

“The principal asked me if I could pull his hair back and even tuck it into his shirt to hide it,” said Wilson. “I braid it all the time, so that was not a problem to keep it confined. But, I would not agree to have him put his hair down his shirt collar.”

On Tuesday, Malachi attended his first day of kindergarten – without incident.

Upvote Upvoted 0
4 responses
https://www.facebook.com/SeminoleElementaryScho... This is an email I sent, as well as posting it to their timeline. To whom it may concern: It wasn't enough that people of European descent stole this country, slaughtered millions of Native Americans, and relegated them to a hollow shell of whom they once were. But your principle has now decided in her infinite wisdom to impose a standard on a Native American young man that goes against his heritage as it to further deny this child his identity. There is no excuse for her ignorance of Native American tradition, nor for her position in trying to insist he cut his hair. He’s not a white child, he’s a Native American child. She has no moral, legal, social, or personal authority to make such a demand that further strips this child of his identity. Way to go on continuing the genocide of Native Americans with this insolence. This principle should be removed immediately from her position as she’s now been proven a racist, and sexist I might add, by her unwillingness to reconsider her demand despite being given proof that he’s a Native American, but also due to the fact that the student handbook makes no mention of hair length for boys, nor any student for that matter. http://www.seminoleisd.net/users/0005/FJYHandbo... A simple text search of the following, which is your handbook mentions the word hair not one time. Odd. There are more important things to do in the world than to continue the genocide of the Native Americans by continuing to make them to conform to unwelcome hostile people whose only goal would seem to be the continued marginalization, denigration, denial, dismissal, subjugation of Native Americans. What a lesson to teach.
— John Adleman
i can't beleive that ,this is amazing story for malachi , but since he is a boy , must cutting his hair... it's looks like a girl's hair
— A posthaven user
Actually, he looks like a girl. But since he's native American and that's part of their religion, the principal should have tolerated that because if they make him have his Keyword cut, the student might find it difficult to get used the the new haircut and that would cause some problems with studying. But if the principal allows that, other students might start teesing the kid and cause problems as well. this kind of situations are hard to solve and need some special intervention.
— Sue Sanders
Actually, he looks like a girl. But since he's native American and that's part of their religion, the principal should have tolerated that because if they make him have his hair cut, the student might find it difficult to get used the the new haircut and that would cause some problems with studying. But if the principal allows that, other students might start teesing the kid and cause problems as well. this kind of situations are hard to solve and need some special intervention.
— Sue Sanders