The Girard Unified School District in Kansas has modified its hair policy after the Kansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) raised concerns about an 8-year-old Native American boy being compelled to cut his hair to comply with the school’s dress code. The Girard USD Board of Education voted on Thursday to eliminate dress code policy requirements related to boys’ hair.
According to Girard USD Superintendent Todd Ferguson, the change was deemed “effective immediately.” The previous policy stipulated that boys’ hair should not touch the collar, cover the eyebrows, or extend below the earlobes. The ACLU, in November, demanded a reversal of the policy and requested an accommodation for the student to wear his hair according to his cultural and religious traditions.
The boy, a member of the Wyandotte Nation, had been instructed to cut his hair in August. His mother, citing Native American heritage and spiritual beliefs, sought an exemption the following month. The ACLU contended that many men in the Wyandotte Nation cut their hair only when mourning a loved one. The school’s assistant principal had warned the boy’s mother that he had to cut his hair, or he would be sent home.
The mother, fearing repercussions and to ensure her son’s ability to attend school, eventually cut the boy’s hair, causing distress. The ACLU praised the school board for removing the policy and commended them for preventing a recurrence of the child’s experience. The organization emphasized that sex-based appearance codes perpetuate harmful stereotypes, disproportionately affect students of color, and are unrelated to a student’s ability to learn.
In response to the revision, the Wyandotte Nation encouraged a reevaluation of rules governing boys’ hair length, considering the historical oppression of Native American children. The tribe highlighted the forced cutting of Native American men and boys’ hair as a form of cultural oppression, emphasizing the broader historical context and the need for corrective action to address the painful legacy.
