Revised Base Article:
New Hair Policy for Boys in Girard School District
The Girard Unified School District (USD) has decided to amend its hairstyle regulations for boys, as reported by Todd Ferguson, the Superintendent of the district, to CNN.
In an email to the parents of the Girard School District, the school office announced the changes to the student handbook and the district's hair guidelines, stating they would take immediate effect.
Earlier hairstyle guidelines for male students had stated that hair must not touch the collar of v-neck T-shirts, cover the eyebrows, or extend under the earlobes. Exceptional styles that challenge these rules, such as mullets or other non-conforming hairstyles, were not permitted.
In November, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) requested that the school district and R.V. Hadlein Elementary School administrators abolish the hairstyle policy and ensure the student in question could grow his hair beyond shoulders in accordance with his cultural and religious traditions, as CNN previously reported.
According to an ACLU letter to the district, the boy is a member of the Wyandot Nation, a federally recognized Native American tribe with a headquarter in Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Although the ACLU did not disclose the student's name or his mother's name.
In August, the boy was instructed to cut his hair, and in the following month, his mother requested a temporary permit due to her son's Native American heritage and spiritual beliefs, according to the ACLU letter. As per the report, many men in the Wyandot Nation trim their hair only during times of mourning for a loved one.
The assistant principal replied in an email to the student's mother that the boy's hair had to be cut, or he would be sent home, the ACLU letter stated. In response, the mother agreed to trim her son's hair out of fear of disciplinary action against her son and to ensure he could attend school. However, the ACLU mentioned that this decision was painful for the boy.
The ACLU of Kansas's legal team commended the district for revisiting the rule, stating they offered "the first opportunity to ensure that our eighth-grader's experience does not repeat itself."
"Gender-specific appearance standards reinforce and reinforce damaging gender stereotypes, disproportionately discriminate against students of color, particularly in terms of cultural and religious damage, and are contrary to the learning abilities of students," stated the group. "It is irrelevant."
"Current rules prohibiting Native American boys from growing their hair should be understood in the historical context of the separation of native children from their families and tribes, and the denial of their right to express their cultural and spiritual beliefs," the group added. "Corrective measures like these are part of our journey."
Upon request, CNN contacted the Wyandotte Nation for a comment.
Previously, the Wyandotte Nation had spoken to CNN and emphasized that schools and districts should be mindful of hairstyle length guidelines for Native American students based on "the unique history of indigenous children."
"For centuries, native communities have been confronted with cultural suppression in many forms, including, but not limited to, forced haircuts for American Indian men and boys to conform to the predominant white culture and discourage long-lasting relationships surrounding religious and traditional practices of American Indians."
"This is a sensitive cultural issue that brings attention to the historical trauma experienced by many indigenous nations beyond our understanding," stated the tribe.
