A Texas mother is furious after being told her daughter will not be allowed to graduate from high school if she doesn’t change her hair.
Kieana Hooper said that the principal of Gladewater High School, Cathy Bedair told her that her daughter, Kienjanae, 18 nicknamed KJ would not be able to walk or receive her diploma if she doesn’t cover her braids.
In a statement, Hooper said, “You’re basing a graduation and diploma on hair which is totally ridiculous with what’s going on in this world.”
According to NBC News, in a letter to Hooper’s lawyer, an attorney for the school disputed Hooper’s said that comments about KJ’s hair were made because it “no longer a natural color.”
“Accordingly, Principal Bedair telephoned your client and told her that the color of Kienjanae’s hair would need to be changed so it met dress code requirements,” the letter said, adding: “Gladewater ISD does not understand how the confusion arose.”
Hooper said that no one ever commented on KJ’s hair which is burgundy and black until now.
“I said, ‘I’m totally blown away when you’ve never said anything about this last year or this year.’” “We’ve got four days before graduation’ adding “she wouldn’t give me an answer” when she asked why her daughter had to change her hair.
While the principal of Gladewater says she decided that KJ’s hair was “close enough” to a natural color, Hooper said that Bedair still wanted KJ to cover her hair with a cap.
At this time, it is still unclear if KJ will be able to walk in her graduation ceremony this Friday.
