Ohio School Places Ban on Afro-Puffs and “Braided Twists” By Jihan

Just when you started to have faith in humanity: Black Girl Long Hair got their hands on a document from the Lorain, Ohio Horizon Science Academy, in which styling (read: having) natural hair is listed as a dress-code violation.

The letter in question was sent home to Horizon Academy parents, outlining proper school attire. In attempts to “help students resist peer pressure” and “create a sense of belonging and school pride,” the school named “Afro-puffs and small twisted braids [box braids? Senegalese twists? regular twists?], with our without rubberbands,” on a list of unacceptable hairstyles. Hair beads were given the ok, “as long as they do not pose a safety risk.”

Natural hair advocates were understandably upset, as afro-puffs and twisted braids are, well… how folks with kinks style their hair. After being pressured by angry parents, the school decided to lift the ban last Friday.

The apology letter made no direct reference to the ban on black hairstyles, instead describing the offense as “a statement made about not allowing a certain hairstyle.” Of course, the school maintains that “by no means did we have any intention of creating bias towards any of our students.” How forbidding hairstyles mainly worn by black students doesn’t “create bias” against them remains to be seen.