High School Policy Banning Dreadlocks, Other Natural Hair Styles Of Blacks Raises Concern

The hair policy of a high school in Louisville Kentucky has drawn the ire of a Kentucky State Legislature representative. The policy bans its students from having dreadlocks, cornrows, twists and mohawks, which are natural hair styles for black people.

Attica Scott, whose daughter will be a sophomore at Butler Traditional High School this year, tweeted about the policy, reported Yahoo News. "Soooo ... my daughter had registration today and let's just say she's not happy abt the #JCPS no natural hair policy," Scott said in a Twitter post that has been retweeted over 700 times and liked by over 500 Twitter users.

Soooo...my daughter had registration today and let's just say she's not happy abt the #JCPS no natural hair policy. pic.twitter.com/ApPDyv3sbo

— Attica Scott (@atticascott) July 27, 2016

Policy Shows 'Institutional Racism'

"And to find myself this year addressing an issue that stinks of forcing gender conformity, stinks of institutional racism -- it says we have so much further to go with our public school system," said Scott, as per WLKY. Scott said that she does not want children's hair to be policed as they have had enough of policing from authorities.

Concern about the hair policy of Butler Traditional High School has led to a meeting. Jefferson Public County Schools, which Scott mentioned in her tweet by the hashtag #JCPS, reportedly put forth a statement wherein its superintendent Donna Hargens said they are encouraging all school-based decision making councils in their district "to review their own dress code policies currently in place."

Hair Policy 'Should Be Scrapped Immediately'

New York Daily News senior justice writer wrote an opinion piece on the Butler Traditional High School hair policy, calling it "disgusting" as it prohibited popular natural hair forms for African-Americans. "It's clear black culture is the target of this outrageous new policy. It should be scrapped immediately and the entire district should apologize to families who've been affected by this foolishness," said King.

"The styles that were targeted in this policy are the most basic and essential styles for black people all over the world. To ban them, is essentially to ban blackness itself," King added. King said Butler Traditional High School did not respond when asked for comment on their hair policy.