Not only are schools policing how black children wear their hair, they are also trying to police what they put in it. When Tionna Norris, a Chicago resident, sent her daughter Amia to Raggedy Anne Learning Center she wasn’t expecting to receive a note from her daughter’s Russian teacher regarding Amia’s hair. The note read:
“I understand the necessary of coconut oil on Amia’s hair, but please do not use as much. The children were complaining that her hair “stinks”. If you have to apply this daily – please do so lightly, so the kids don’t tease her. Thank you for understanding.”
“I understand the necessary of coconut oil on Amia’s hair, but please do not use as much. The children were complaining that her hair “stinks”. If you have to apply this daily – please do so lightly, so the kids don’t tease her. Thank you for understanding.”
Photo: Facebook.com/TionnaNorris
Amia is the only black student in her class and Norris says she’s made a point of keeping her hair naturally curly to build her confidence. Needless to say she wasn’t amused by the note and made clear that she has no intention of taking the teacher’s advice.
Photo: Facebook.com/TionnaNorris
The school hasn’t responded to requests for comment, however Norris does not plan to pull Amia from the program and says the teacher is being appropriately admonished.
Ladies, how would you react in this situation?