Parents say school's 'hair policy' is racist

MALDEN, Mass. — EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story used the colloquial term 'braids' to refer to braided hair extensions. this story has been updated to clarify the wearing of braided extensions. 

MALDEN, Mass. -- Parents are calling a "hair policy" at a local charter school racist after they say black female students are being suspended and disciplined for wearing braided hair extensions.

“I was kind of shocked because for years everyone has been able to wear braids,” said Maya Cook, a sophomore at Mystic Valley Regional Charter.

Parents of two students told Boston 25 News said their daughters have been kicked off their sports teams and barred from prom at Mystic Valley Regional Charter as part of discipline for refusing to take out their braided extensions. Others have been suspended, but these parents say they're not backing down.

Maya said that school officials first pulled her aside two weeks ago after she and her sister Deanna, both African American, had their hair braided at a local salon.

Their adoptive mother, Colleen Cook, received a call from the school minutes later.

“The school basically said that they didn't want anything artificial or unnatural in their hair,” said Colleen Cook.

The school's policy says students may not have a hairstyle distracting to other students and hair extensions are not allowed. Colleen argued that the policy only targets black students.

“We told them there's nothing wrong with their hair the way it is. Their hair is beautiful, there's no correcting that needs to be done,” said Colleen.

Deanna Cook said hair extensions and braids are integral to African American culture.

"It makes me feel like my culture and my hair was not important enough to be represented around the school," Cook told Boston 25 News.

Both Maya and Deanna refused to take out their braided extensions and were punished with daily detention. Last week, Colleen said it became worse.

“All the little black children were marched down for a hair inspection, whether they had braids or not, and asked, ‘are those extensions’ ‘are your braids real or not?’” said Colleen.

In a statement, school officials told Boston 25 News, “Our policies...foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion or materialism.  Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with...the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students’ success.”

Colleen said the school’s policy doesn’t send a message of success to her daughters.

“It really affects them to their core and tells them, you're not good enough, you need to change,” she said.

She has filed a complaint with the NAACP and the anti-defamation league - and says so far, no response from school officials.

FULL SCHOOL STATEMENT:

“The Mystic Valley Regional Charter School serves a diverse student population from surrounding communities that include Everett, Medford and Malden, among other cities.  The school consistently ranks among the top schools in Massachusetts in MCAS testing, SAT testing and college admissions.  We send students from all walks of life, including those of color and those from limited means, to the best colleges and universities in the nation.  One important reason for our students’ success is that we purposefully promote equity by focusing on what unites our students and reducing visible gaps between those of different means.  Our policies, including those governing student appearance and attire, foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion or materialism.  Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students’ success.” -- Alexander J. Dan, Interim School Director, Mystic Valley Regional Charter School

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