School Bars Teen Over Racial Hair Row -

The Mirror - UK ^ | June 21, 2004 | Tom Parry

[cyborg]

Did you sign up today to say that?

[cyborg]

burlfire
Since Aug 14, 2004

[bvw]

My wife had an afro when I met her. Over twenty years ago. Her curls were almost as tight as anyone's. She still has an afro pick on the bathroom counter top and usually in her purse. She's never corn-rowed her hair.

If you'd forbid white girls from wearing braids -- which are NOT just a black thang, white folks have had them for millenia too -- would you also ban black girls from having straigtened hair?

[burlfire]

of course I did, I don't think its an issue of black people being given more privileges, and its sad thats what people are making out, the problem is the schools decision, but there are people have digs, saying one rule for everyone exemption city if you are black

[burlfire]

your point being? about the date of me signing up?

[Trillian]

I can't believe there people are actually in charge of educating children. For shame.

[Trillian]

There = these.

[cyborg]

Is the school making an exception for these two students or not? They are being culturally biased and that is a fact. If two students can wear braids then for what reason are other students not allowed to wear braids? It has nothing to do with hair care.

[cyborg]

Is this why you joined FR? Just to point that out?

[burlfire]

I did not say that the school was right to ban the white girls from having braids, nor did I say it was exclusive to black culture, my point is that most/ majority (exception of wife) black people at some point will have their hair braided, plaited or even straighten because it is a necessity, I admire your wife if she has never had the need to have her hair braided/plaited as a black person but she is the exception not the norm, can I ask what oils and conditioners she uses ( as this may be of use to me).

[burlfire]

It has everything to do with hair care you obviously haven't read what I wrote, I did not say the school was right, my comments were directed at those making the matter a race issue, the school has handled the the situation incorrectly and should actually explain their reasons for banning the other kids from having braids, I don't agree with their decision and my comments are specifically pointing out that, the blame should be laid with the school and not the black students because they do have a genuine need to braid or plait their hair. as I wrote previously like it or not black hair is different and by banning the black students from having braids is denying the fact that they are different and that their hair is different. I disagree with the comment that the afro students were allowed to have braids because of cultural intergration, it is a NECESSITY

[burlfire]

I have other reason, but i enjoy a good debate, and if I read something and disagree with it, I will make my opinion heard, isn't that a right everyone has, the discussions appeared very one sided, and I wanted to introduce a different point of view, and challenege people to look at things differently. So far you have not even acknowledged that afro hair does have different care requirements, do you deny this fact? you seem more concerned with saying the black people are receiving preferential treatment, did they make the decision to ban the other students from being allowed braids, no, but they and the black race seem to be carrying the can, as people see fit to make comments such as "Color of the skin does matter as to privileges rec'd", should they deny that they have different requirements because the school made such a rule. The school is aware they would not be able to impose this on the black students as it is FACT that afro hair does have different care requirements, do you deny this?

[cyborg]

Having braids is not an absolute necessitity. It's about as much a necessary as ponytails.

[cyborg]

Nothing wrong with a good debate. Just that you are wrong on this one, and that's just too bad. I am well aware of how black girls take care of their hair. However, if the school is going to allow two girls to wear braids then if another girl wears braids she should be allowed. Of course within a private school, the administration can do whatever they want.

[burlfire]

have you ever had to care for afro hair? because you don't seem to know what you are talking about, and if you claim to have cared for afro hair or have knoweldge of it, then please by all means explain the care process for afro hair and why it has that care process?

[cyborg]

Please. My best friend is a black African girl and she does not braid her hair. She attended private school in England. Her hair is probably more nappy than a lot of people in this country. BTW, my mother is from the West Indies and half 'afro-caribbean' and a lot of my aunts are straight African, blacker than shoe polish with brillo pad hair so I DO know a lot about 'afro hair'.

[burlfire]

Careful your arrogance is showing, how do black girls take care of their hairI would like to know what your understanding of this is, if you really do know that, then you would realize that I have a valid point. Tell me doe white hair hurt from being brushed or combed ( as for most black people this is a serious problem Afro hair is one of the most difficult hair types to groom, do you deny this?

[cyborg]

Yes white hair DOES hurt from being brushed and combed but not like you'd know that. You're making generalizations yourself about types of hair. Someone will view their hair as 'difficult' only if they WANT it to be difficult.

[Terabitten]

Remind me not to *ever* piss you off.

[burlfire]

what exactly do you know about black hair? please enlighten me, besides don't you think it is a bit rude to refer to your relatives as being blacker than shoe polish, and how does your best friend have her hair, all natural you say, how does she cope in the winter, as when afro hair in its natural state and exposed to cold air it mats even more and is more uncontrollable than usual. you say your mother is half Caribbean, is her hair natural, if so how does she cope with the pain of combing or brushing, because my niece is mixed race, and she had to have her hair braided, because it was so painful when being combed or brushed. (It might be of help to my niece. What do your aunts do to their hair?