Was Biracial Girl Banned From Class Over Hair Product?

Posted 2010/06/09 00:00:00
Read all 31 opinions

An 8-year-old biracial girl’s hair product has led to a sticky situation at a Seattle elementary school.

The little girl was removed from her honors classes by a teacher who claims to be allergic to a product the girl uses on her hair, Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion, reports King5.com.

The NAACP has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, citing concerns that the teacher sent the girl to sit in the hallway and then pulled her out of honors classes in favor of placing her in regular classes, without ever contacting her parents about the issue.

According to the girl's father, his child is the only African American in the advanced placement class, and his subsequent questions to the district to discuss the dismissal were ignored, reports The Seattle Times.

"The issue I had, and still hold is there should have been a little more cultural sensitivity in this issue," the girl's father, Charles Mudede, told The Seattle Times. "There is a great sense of embarrassment for us," Mudede adds.

What do you think? Was the teacher really “allergic” to the girl’s product? Is that grounds for removing a child from honors classes?

««Gingey, the Master Debate... 2010/06/09 03:35:19

+7
One of the saddest things in my opinion, is how black women are expected to do so many treatments with their hair so they look more white, or something. I think there is nothing more beautiful than natural beauty.

>> See Replies

Janet 2010/07/20 16:14:17

They took her out of the honor classes?

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Carly 2010/07/11 19:18:36

i dont think she could be allergic to it. if she is, what is she doing fondoling her hair. thats weird. And its rite, shes going to be super embarassed, that teacher had no rite. Good for you girl bein the only black girl in that schools AP classes keep it up. show the regular classees that your way to advanced

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Dolly 2010/06/21 04:45:05

It is possible the teacher was allergic to the smell of the hair lotion or maybe she just doesn't like seeing blacks advance in the world.

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AmericaIsGoingDownhill 2010/06/18 16:36:49

Don't parents have to give consent for this sort of thing to happen? Also, there are ways to deal with allergies: Singulair, Zyrtec, Claritin, not going near her hair. Ask the parents to stop using the product. Face mask. What kind of hair product sets off allergies when you can't even smell it?

I doubt this is a racial issue. It's either someone trying to get attention (teacher or student, I don't know or care) or a gross overreaction on someone's part (I'm guessing the media; I doubt a teacher would be that unprofessional). Also, I have to ask what the ratio is of white kids to black kids in the school itself-and if the test scores and behavior reports of the other black kids were good enough to warrant them getting into the honor classes.

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ladypuppylove 2010/06/09 16:03:05

This teacher was on a witch hunt and this little gril was the prey , there is nothing in this product that can make anyone sick , most salons here in chattanooga use this products i hope the people that make and sell this products sue this teacher for slander, black women are always experienceing with different products for the hair

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Sister in Christ 2010/06/09 15:54:49 (edited)

+2
Well said, However you will never understand. Trying to look white, NEVER. And white woman are just as subjected to treatments due to all the coloring and extensions, as well. Do your research. Everybody is trying to look like someone else.

Is there anyone completely happy with the way God made you?

You see wether it is a tatoo, perm to straighten the hair, a brunette gone blonde or the clothes we wear-- we all have some soul searching to do.

Sister in Christ

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wow-really 2010/06/09 14:35:45 (edited)

So because the teacher has an allergy, the child must suffer?
I smell LAWSUIT!
No wonder our educational system is a ginormous FAILURE!

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Londonearbaby 2010/06/09 13:58:32

+1
OMD!!! Mehn! WTH is going on with these schools now a days??? stop the bloody Madness!!

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♥♥Hearts♥♥Of♥♥Hearts♥♥ 2010/06/09 13:06:36

Haha I think I've used that type of relaxer before I don't understand how that teacher is allergic to something you wash out. I mean seriously....

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Jehnyhal~ Hope Not Hate~the... 2010/06/09 13:03:56 (edited)

+3
That teacher should be fired for being a f*cking idiot. Could they not have asked her to stop using it?!...Oh wait. That makes too much damn sense.

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Red high priestess in Nyx I... 2010/06/09 12:37:03

I want proof first of the teacher being allergic to the hair product before I can judge!

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Mrs.Fish 2010/06/09 12:18:37

+1
Ok, with my family's history of allergies (including a child that has had multiple allergic reactions to airborne particles aka smells) I will give the teacher the benefit of the doubt and go with the fact that the teacher is actually allergic to the hair product. However, the the teacher should have approached the parents, not the child, and discussed with them the possibility of using a different hair product. Then the parents could have switched the hair product without ever mentioning to the child "Hey, your teacher has a problem with you". The child should have never been singled out like that. Even if the teacher needed her out of the room for that day, (before she could talk to the parents) she could have given the child a "special project" to work on in another room. This would have made the child feel better about herself rather than embarrassing the child and making her feel bad about herself.

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[...] 2010/06/09 06:36:45

sounds like the teacher is a B@#$H

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SimsNerd 2010/06/09 04:02:12

that teacher is such bs.

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Asia 2010/06/09 03:58:58

Wow!! I highly doubt this its not like she sprayed something in the air and it was fresh! CMON GROW UP.. How many people do you know spray on so much perfume or cologne that you become nauseous. This is obviously something to do with " Teacher has a problem" Wow.. The girl is smart let her be!

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Isma'ila (God has heard)! 2010/06/09 03:37:02

+2
That is so racist! That teacher needs to be punished for being tracist!

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««Gingey, the Master Debate... 2010/06/09 03:35:19

+7
One of the saddest things in my opinion, is how black women are expected to do so many treatments with their hair so they look more white, or something. I think there is nothing more beautiful than natural beauty.

reply
☺MusicC... to ««Ginge... 2010/06/09 06:25:26

+6
i agree. but i think it's more two-sided. whites get tanned to be darker and they get perms to get thicker roots. society has just instilled in people's heads that what you are isn't good.

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Londone... to ««Ginge... 2010/06/09 13:57:42

+1
Yes say that girl!!

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Sister ... to ««Ginge... 2010/06/09 15:54:03

Well said, but you will never know or understand. Trying to look white NEVER.

Sister in Christ

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