When I was growing up, I had a pretty good understanding about what it meant to be Rastafarian. I understood they didn’t cut their hair, and I understood why. It was a way of life. Parts of my family are Rastafarian, so I got it. The thought of a school banning a child because of their hair and religious preferences goes against everything I thought this country stood for.
We haven’t heard a story like this one in awhile, but the ACLU of Louisiana has come to the defense of a boy who is Rastafarian, and has been suspended from his school because his dreadlocks are considered a violation of the school dress code.
The boy pinned his hair up, but was still told that he could not come back to school until his hair was cut off. Rastafarians believe that the Bible forbids them to cut their hair. Leviticus 21:5 states:
“They shall not make any baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh.”
According to The Huffingpost:
“The ACLU sent a letter to Plaquemines Parish School Board and South Plaquemines High School this week. The student belongs to the Rastafarian religion, which holds that men should refrain from cutting their hair and grow it in long dreadlocks.
“The South Plaquemines High School dress code says that “Boys’ hair may not extend lower than the top of a school shirt collar” or be “pinned up, pulled back, or put in a pony tail.” As a result, the student – whom the ACLU did not name – was told he could not return to school “as long has his hair remains in dreadlocks,” even though administrators were aware of his religious practices, according to the letter.”
Feel free to check out the letter here. Another sad story. I will never understand why it is better to deprive a child of his or her education because of what grows out of their head. Let’s see how this turns out.
Of all places, that’s where ALOT of people have dreads smh
🙁 I saw something similar with a woman who served in the Navy and they let her go because she wouldn’t change her hair style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbTYVzZ2Mzw
This is ridiculous! Would a white child get suspended for wearing stringy hair?
He’s a handsome little fella. Im disgusted by the adults who feel the need to suspend him for his natural hair. Smh.
The Real Person!
thats not him Brittany just a picture.. the pic of the actual child was never released.. which is a good thing in my opinion
Makes me so mad
That’s what I’m talking about. You’re not allowed to be yourself.
This is wrong it is a form of discrimination ..Its none of their concern how a student wears their hair they are there to educate.I hope the family sues and move there child to a school that doesn’t bully there students…
Its his religion…. Would they have told a Muslim girl to not wear her hijab or a Jewish boy not to wear a yamika…. I doubt it….
As for Muslim girl, that would happen and it does happened is just that many people don’t care about it because ‘they’ terrorist in their eyes
Its more 2 it….nobody is gonna suspend a child just because they have dreads
This really sucks….what was in the beginning is always at the end
Right it’s got to be more to the story Alisha Peele!
Is it me? This LITTLE boy was suspended from a HIGH school? He looks to be 6 or so. Did I misread that? As a native of Lousiana, I sure hope this isn’t true.
Wow so a Jewish boy can wear his Yalmke is allowed to wear his religious symbol but this boy can’t Bull crap
School is teaching nothing
Boy pictured is not the one they are talking about in article.
Said it’s against the school policy to have them.
He was suspended because of the length of his hair. It is not supposed to touch the shirt collar per school policy. When he pinned it up, school administrators still did not find it acceptable. However, since cutting it is against his religious beliefs I don’t understand why it isn’t allowed.
Oh please give the boy a freaking haircut! he looks ridiculous!
Wonder what this school district does about girls/young women who have to cover their heads.
This is beyond stupid. Love his locks.
For people who don’t know, it’s against school policy to discriminate based on religious beliefs.
If they said black kids can’t be in the same classroom with other races y’all would be having a fit and marching. Well it’s the same thing.
Schools need to STOP making a big deal out of how our kids decide to wear their hair. Ive seen lil Caucasian kids w/dirty hair, unwashed/ unkempt hair, hell they’re even allowed to come to school with HEAD LICE but our children can’t wear dreads/ natural hairstyles?! #start.accepting.differences #we.shouldn’t.have.to. conform #our.children.are. BEAUTIFUL!!
Omg, this is ridiculous! Sakina Purnell
Just because he’s black them MF
Guess his parents should have read the rules before enrolling him.
That’s messed up, he has beautiful hair
I love the blonde!
Ricardochantal Fleurival you are beyond ridiculous, that is the young boy’s faith his religion. …you’re comment is totally unacceptable for this forum. … natural is always beautiful, being a rastafarian is the way of life and the picture is not of the little boy it is just a random picture
We just can’t win.
What hair got to do with learning anyway let him pull it up and leave him alone
F**k it find another school for him
Tell those people we are black they stole us from AFRICA WE CANT EVEN KEEP OUR INDENITIY 400 year we can’t have a damn LOC
Protest what in your head what matter
I am confused AGAIN! So hair interferes with learning! I am soo tired of white people bullying us on our hair! This is ridiculous! But their kids can come to school with lice! Thats ok! Wow!
i love his hair
Unfortunately, Louisiana was the first place we experienced strict rules. My son could not have braids or wear earrings and little girls could wear earring but no hoops. Also no hair that causes distractions…. So basically don’t overdue the barrettes and beads….. Smdh
It is not just a race based issue . His parents can fight back in court for their religious beliefs or home school him . Simple as that.
Rastafarians don’t cut their hair to the person who said give him a hair cut! We are not from their religion, but my family doesn’t believe in cutting hair either. I did when I grew up, but I was an adult. This child isn’t impeding on anyone’s learning by having dreads. As long as they’re clean, no one should be able to say anything.
As long as the locs are clean they cant say anything. If not the parents have to figure something out if they still want him to attend school there.
I know for a fact nobody says anything about the Indian and Muslim kids wearing they head coverings so why would locs be any different?
But hey that’s is how they do in Louisiana , to our culture
His hair his right to wear it. their problem there is no legitimate reason he shouldn’t wear his hair like this expose them and file a law suite
Go to another school u cant have it both ways