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St, George, Utah: Native American second-grader sent home from school over traditional mohawk
I posted this in GD and am cross-posting it here by special request.ST. GEORGE, Utah — A 7-year-old Native American student was removed from his classroom this week after school officials decided his Mohawk haircut was too distracting.
The second-grader, whose parents are Seneca and Paiute, chose a hairstyle that is popular with native peoples in many places, his father said Thursday, but his wife still received a call from the school saying it went against the Arrowhead Elementary School’s dress code.
He was allowed to return to class only after a member of the Seneca National Tribe, located in New York, penned a letter to Washington County School District administrators confirming that the hairstyle is a common tradition among tribal members.
“It is common for Seneca boys to wear a Mohawk because after years of discrimination and oppression, they are proud to share who they are,” wrote William Canella, a Seneca Nation Tribal Councilor. “It’s disappointing that your school does not view diversity in a positive manner, and it is our hope that (the boy) does not suffer any discrimination by the school administration or faculty as a result of his hair cut.”
http://www.wcnc.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/17/native-american-child-sent-home-over-traditional-mohawk/72367380/
The second-grader, whose parents are Seneca and Paiute, chose a hairstyle that is popular with native peoples in many places, his father said Thursday, but his wife still received a call from the school saying it went against the Arrowhead Elementary School’s dress code.
He was allowed to return to class only after a member of the Seneca National Tribe, located in New York, penned a letter to Washington County School District administrators confirming that the hairstyle is a common tradition among tribal members.
“It is common for Seneca boys to wear a Mohawk because after years of discrimination and oppression, they are proud to share who they are,” wrote William Canella, a Seneca Nation Tribal Councilor. “It’s disappointing that your school does not view diversity in a positive manner, and it is our hope that (the boy) does not suffer any discrimination by the school administration or faculty as a result of his hair cut.”
http://www.wcnc.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/17/native-american-child-sent-home-over-traditional-mohawk/72367380/
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