MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas grade school forced an 8-year-old Native American boy to cut off his hair after he grew it out for cultural reasons, the American Civil Liberties Union said.
But in August, school officials told him that he needed to cut his hair to comply with the dress code, the ACLU said.
The assistant principal then emailed the mother on a Friday, telling her she had until the following Monday to get her son's hair cut or he would be sent home.
It noted that Native American children often had their hair cut when they were placed in boarding schools, which systematically abused students to assimilate them into white society.
The letter said there is no legitimate reason for imposing the requirement, noting that girls are allowed to have long hair.
Persons:
Kan, Todd Ferguson, Girard
Organizations:
American Civil Liberties Union, Girard School, Wyandotte Nation, ACLU
Locations:
Kansas, Wyandotte, Kansas City