Picture this. You drop your little girl off at school. You were in a rush, so you let her curls hang loose and hoped for the best. Hours later, you pick her up and see that her teacher put her hair up because it was hot outside.
What do you do?
Option 1: Thank the teacher.
Option 2: Think nothing of it.
Option 3: Go ballistic and write a scathing article on how offended you are that a white teacher put her hands through your black child’s hair.
This woman decided to go with option #3.
It happened to her. She was running late one morning and stuck a headband in her daughter’s hair. When she picked her up, she was shocked. Her daughter’s teacher came over and said, “I did her hair, I hope you don’t mind?! She said she was hot.”
Her reaction?
I was furious. My blood was boiling, and there were no nice words I could find. I offered a limp smile, and could barely utter, “it’s fine.” I was fuming. My daughter’s hair had been brushed, with whose brush? I couldn’t tell you, parted, and braided in plaits, and embellished with rubber bands and barrettes, out of the teachers own supply.
How DARE she be so kind!
After about 30 minutes to an hour, I called the school and spoke with the director and asked that Lyric’s hair not be touched by anyone, at all, for any reason. She assured me she would talk to the teachers, but I could tell she really didn’t care. For days I debated with my cousin, a former daycare teacher about the violation, boundary infringement, and the subliminal message being taught to my daughter. My cousin argued the teacher had no ill intentions toward my child, and that she thought she was doing a good thing. She assured me her actions meant that Lyric was a favorite in the school, and now that I have made this an issue they will probably treat her differently now.