An African-American girl may be expelled from a private school in Orlando if she doesn’t cut and shape her natural hair, according to a news report.
Vanessa VanDyke, 12, said school officials gave her one week to decide whether to change her hair or leave Faith Christian Academy, where she has attended since third grade. Vanessa’s mother told WKMG-TV she will not change her daughter’s hair, which has been in the same style all year.
She said school officials didn’t threaten to expel her daughter until after the family complained that children at school were bullying Vanessa about her hair.
“It says that I’m unique,” Vanessa said. “First of all, it’s puffy and I like it that way. I know people will tease me about it because it’s not straight.”
The honor student told the TV station that while she didn’t want to leave the school, she would do so before she would accept being forced to change her hair.
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