Charter schools reverse course, allow students to keep long hairstyles through end of school year
Classical Charter Schools of America alerted families in its four schools in eastern North Carolina that school rules on grooming won't be enforced through the remainder of the academic year.
"As you are undoubtedly aware, the recent efforts to resume enforcement of some longstanding school policies – such as our grooming standards – that were relaxed during the Covid disruptions are causing some disruptions of their own," a letter sent last week read.
The school had moved to reinstate grooming standards that require boys' hair be "neatly trimmed and off the collar, above the eyebrows, not below the top of the ears or eyebrows, and not an excessive height" at the end of spring break, March 29.
Families of students in Whiteville and Leland pushed back on the change, saying long hair is part of their Native American heritage.
Mia Chavis, mother of a first grader at Classical's Whiteville location, said her son had been wearing his long hair in a braided ponytail or in a bun on top of his head. She filed a grievance with the school's board of education.
The American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter to Classical's school in Leland, claiming the policy is discriminatory.
The letter, sent to parents on March 24, made it clear that the grooming policy would not be enforced immediately.
"To minimize parental concerns, we have decided that students not complying with the grooming norms can remain in school for the rest of the school year and finish the year under the current practices," it said.
