sourceTexas teen who refuses to cut dreadlocks gets support, $20K from TV host Ellen DeGeneres
A Southeast Texas teenager who was told his dreadlocks violated his high school's dress code is gaining the support of celebrities as well as $20,000 for college.
DeAndre Arnold, 18, appeared on an episode of “The Ellen Show” Wednesday and was presented with a check for his college tuition by host Ellen DeGeneres and singer Alicia Keys.
Arnold, a senior at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu in southeast Texas, said he was barred from school and won't be allowed to attend his graduation ceremony after the school said his hairstyle violated the school's dress code.
Barbers Hill Independent School District officials have said it's not about race and that the school allows dreadlocks but has rules about the length of male students' hair.
"There is no dress code policy that prohibits any cornrow or any other method of wearing of the hair," said the district’s superintendent Greg Poole. “Our policy limits the length. It's been that way for 30 years.”
Arnold has already received messages of support from a number of high-profile celebrities, including Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who last week tweeted the teen, “Never cut your locks Deandre Arnold.”
Arnold’s case comes months after 13-year-old Pearland ISD student Juelz Trice and his parents sued the suburban school district after administrators at Berry Hill Junior High allegedly used a black Sharpie to color in his scalp when the youth arrived at school with a common fade haircut. The cut featured an “M” design shaved into his hair, which the suit claims administrators filled in with permanent marker.
A second student joined the suit last week, accusing administrators at Berry Hill Jr. High of also coloring in his scalp with a black permanent marker.
Arnold told DeGeneres that he wants to go to college to become a veterinarian. He said his dreadlocks are a part of his culture and heritage, noting that his father is from Trinidad.
“I really wish the school would kind of be open to other cultures and just, at least let us try to tell you some things," he said. "Don't just shut us out.”
DeGeneres urged the school to “do the right thing” and change its policy.
Singer and guest Alicia Keys presented Arnold with the supersized check for $20,000.
"I'm super proud of you for standing up for what you know is right," said Keys.
It's My Culture!
It's My Culture!
Re: It's My Culture!
As I’m sure there are many dozens of girls at that school who have much longer hair, there is absolutely no sound reason for a dress code policy preventing boys of any color from having hair of whatever length they choose - it’s not the military, it’s school!
JFC, you’d think we were back in the 1960s. Morally stunted people like this school’s administrators need to get over themselves already!
JFC, you’d think we were back in the 1960s. Morally stunted people like this school’s administrators need to get over themselves already!
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: It's My Culture!
Should high school students be taught to break rules and seek reasons they should be allowed to avoid them? Is it not necessary to learn a certain amount of discipline before becoming an adult?
Re: It's My Culture!
Spoken like a product of the capitalist machine.
Yes part of becoming an adult is learning to follow rules; but also even more important is learning to question authority and to challenge unjust rules/laws, using critical thinking skills and while behaving maturely. If we don’t have at least some of that kind of people, we end up with drones who follow the likes of Hitler over a cliff.
Yes part of becoming an adult is learning to follow rules; but also even more important is learning to question authority and to challenge unjust rules/laws, using critical thinking skills and while behaving maturely. If we don’t have at least some of that kind of people, we end up with drones who follow the likes of Hitler over a cliff.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: It's My Culture!
What makes limiting hair length for males at a high school "an unjust law"? Should schools not be allowed to have dress codes for their students?
Re: It's My Culture!
Provide one sound basis for men being disallowed long hair while women are allowed it - besides ‘because they said so’.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: It's My Culture!
Dress codes exist to encourage students to focus more on school work than making fashion statements. Most males don't have long hair. Schools can and do set dress standards to prevent distractions. If you can remember that far back, it doesn't take much to cause students to tease others for looking different than everyone else. Requiring male students' hair to not extend beyond a certain length until they graduate high school isn't going to turn them into Nazis. Believe it or not, I'm not a lemming or a Nazi and my high school restricted my hair length.BoSoxGal wrote:Provide one sound basis for men being disallowed long hair while women are allowed it - besides ‘because they said so’.
I'm sure the rules will change at Barbers Hill Independent School District and others because we are in the age of the victim - where anyone can claim cultural discrimination or just plain discrimination and be awarded large sums of money while being encouraged and cheered on by Social Justice Warriors.
It's My Culture!
Barbers Hill High School is a public school where students should have a right to expect some personal freedoms.
If it were a diocesan school, much less rights. There, the students have to worry about dodging diddling priests who think that is their right.
Amen.
If it were a diocesan school, much less rights. There, the students have to worry about dodging diddling priests who think that is their right.
Amen.
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.”
Re: It's My Culture!
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Lyrics
Play "Almost Cut My Hair"
on Amazon Music (ad)
"Almost Cut My Hair"
I almost cut my hair
It happened just the other day
It was gettin' kinda long
I could-a said, it was in my way
But I didn't and I wonder why
I feel like letting my freak flag fly
And I feel like I owe it to someone
Must be because I had the flu for Christmas
And I'm not feelin' up to par
It increases my paranoia
Like lookin' at my mirror and seein' a police car
But I'm not givin' in an inch to fear
Cause I promised myself this year
I feel like I owe it to someone
When I finally get myself together
I'm gonna get down in that sunny southern weather
And I find a place inside to laugh
Separate the wheat from the chaff
I feel like I owe it to someone
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
- MajGenl.Meade
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Re: It's My Culture!
The purpose of rules is so that students can rebel in useless ways without doing much damage. The problem is that each successful rebellion reduces the number of rules until one day we reach the point where only burning down the cafeteria is left as a symbol of rebellion.
My school; my rules. Don't like it? Find another school.
My school; my rules. Don't like it? Find another school.
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: It's My Culture!
the sp0rt0f wrestling inv0lves the grabbing and h0lding 0f y0ur 0pp0nents head.
y0u are n0t all0wed t0 pull hair th0...
thus, l0ng hair is n0t permitted as it gives the lng haired pers0n the advantage 0f making it difficult t0 cntr0l their head.
head c0ntr0l is integral t0 winning at wrestling.
r maybe it s just wacist!!!!!!
I
y0u are n0t all0wed t0 pull hair th0...
thus, l0ng hair is n0t permitted as it gives the lng haired pers0n the advantage 0f making it difficult t0 cntr0l their head.
head c0ntr0l is integral t0 winning at wrestling.
r maybe it s just wacist!!!!!!
I
Re: It's My Culture!
Hair should not be a hill to die on. Schools pick such odd battles it seems, but then so is the youth in this instance.
Re: It's My Culture!
What hill is he dying on? He skips his graduation ceremony and gets $20k for college, plus he’s made connections with wealthy people who can open doors for him. Oh, and he stood by his principles - that’s not dying, that’s thriving.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: It's My Culture!
This is a dredful thread.
Re: It's My Culture!
Agreed, it should be locked.Long Run wrote:This is a dredful thread.
Re: It's My Culture!
Preferably before the lawyers get involved and file a hirsute.
Re: It's My Culture!
You'd need a gaggle of lawyers because there's a lot to comb through.
Re: It's My Culture!
If it is a gaggle of male lawyers, you can expect many a follicle symbol.TPFKA@W wrote:You'd need a gaggle of lawyers because there's a lot to comb through.
Re: It's My Culture!
He chose to be a celebrity instead of standing by his principal.
Re: It's My Culture!
On this board it has to be female lawyers by a close shave.