Kids These Days 68

Kids getting sent from school for wearing something or having a style that the school didn't agree with isn't new. My cousin got sent home when we were little because he had one of those shirts that said “Crack Kills” and the image was a skinny dude stuck inside a big woman's ass. I can see why the school would do that and why his mama shouldn't have let him wear it. But there was no rule that said he couldn't. A 13 year old kid in North Yorkshire, England named Chenise Benson was sent home after showing up to school with braids. Yeah, the ones you see above. Some reports are calling them dreadlocks because they have never seen dreadlocks before. She got them for her birthday during a break in school and her dad Darren Benson is pissed because he wasted $170 on 'em because he expected the braids or his daughters interest in them to last a year.

“One of her friends at the school, who has Jamaican heritage, has the same style of haircut but with a red stripe in it rather than white, and she has been allowed to remain. I've read the policy regarding haircuts, and I can’t see what rule she has broken.” Ah, the good ol' fashioned “they did it so why can't I?” defense. The school has a policy against kids thinking their opinions matter.

“Please note we do not allow extreme, unnatural hairstyles or coloring. Any hair accessories should be of a practical nature and should not be decorative. If you are in doubt please contact your child's Tutor at the School. Please be aware that what is and is not acceptable will be decided by the School in line with this Policy and the School's decision is final. Please note that in sending your child to George Pindar School that you are agreeing to ensure your child abides by this policy. If you have any queries or questions regarding any aspect of uniform, jewelry, hairstyle, please could you contact the School.”

There ya go. Her dad can be as butt hurt as he wants but it says right there that its the school's final decision. But dad wasn't done and felt like embarrassing his daughter some more. “I'm not racist in any shape or form, but this is like racism against their own.” Guess everyone that runs the school must have his same skin color. “Chenise is being picked out here because she's white - if she was black or mixed-race they wouldn't have a problem. Part of me agrees it is over the top, but they are going to get it done whatever, aren't they? Chenise is quite dark and tanned anyway, so it doesn't look too bad. But that's not the point, is it? I was furious because of the principle of it.” He also said his other daughter would be having the same style because I guess he likes having his kids at home.

He reached that level where he should have stopped talking but kept on going. I do the same thing sometimes. Tell me you like my watch and I will tell you where I got it, the price, and how long it took to arrive. But I don't incriminate myself or fight against an obvious rule and also agree that the style is “over the top.” Speaking of over the top, a lot of people have been saying the style is cultural appropriation. What is that you ask? Everything about this picture.

“Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture. Cultural appropriation is seen by some as controversial, notably when elements of a minority culture are used by members of the cultural majority; this is seen as wrongfully oppressing the minority culture or stripping it of its group identity and intellectual property rights. This view of cultural appropriation is sometimes termed 'cultural misappropriation.'” 

In this case it is not. Its just a kid that wanted a hairstyle that the school doesn't allow. It happens. I have heard people say that White folks with dreadlocks were doing this cultural appropriation shit not knowing that dreads weren't created in Africa or whatever. 

Pictured: not Jamaicans.

Damn things have their earliest start in Aegean island of Thera which is modern day Santorini, Greece. Yes. That Greece. I hear its the word. What I'm saying is this kid got a hairstyle that the school doesn't allow and does not look good on any skin tone. Blond braids are not the business. Her dad needs to shut up and send his kids to school and stop raging against the machine.

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