Pleasant Public Schools, we strive each day to ensure our students can learn and achieve in an inclusive, safe environment free from harassment, discrimination, bigotry or intolerance. I asked what happened and said I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair, Hoffmeyer said at the time. On March 24, Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side cut. Regardless of their good intentions, these actions are unacceptable and show a lack of judgement on the part of our two employees, Verleger wrote. The Mount Pleasant School Districts superintendent dismissed the allegations as an example of misinformation. Now, the Mount Pleasant Public Schools board said its seen the results of both an internal and an external investigation. This undated photo provided by Jimmy Hoffmeyer shows his daughter Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, after a classmate and a teacher cut her hair on separate occasions. The board added that the third-party inquiry was performed in addition to an internal review by the school districts administration. Jurnee's mother is white. Hoffmeyer is working with the National Parents Union, a national network of parent organizations and activists that advocate to improve the quality of life for children. He said he was told the school would talk to the parents of the classmate involved in the first haircut and that a note would be placed in the teacher's work file. Regardless, their decisions and actions are unacceptable and show a major lack of judgment. The school district where a staff member cut the curly hair of a biracial 7-year-old student this spring said Friday that an independent, third-party investigation found no evidence the incident was motivated by racial bias.. LANSING, MI The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has taken notice of a recent incident involving a Mount Pleasant schoolgirl having her hair cut by a fellow student and then by a staff member, incidents that have garnered public outcry. The district is located about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. A Michigan father has moved his 7-year-old biracial daughter from one school to another after the childs hair was cut on separate occasions by a classmate and a teacher. She said but dad, it was the teacher. The teacher cut her hair to even it out.. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, The Crown Act challenges hair discrimination, The Crown Act seeks to protect against hair discrimination. ICE Limitations. The incident occurred just after the boy returned home from school; his parents were made aware of it when he returned home. The girl's hair was originally cut by a classmate on the school bus but was cut again by a teacher at Ganiard Elementary School days later to "even it out.". These written reprimands will go into the employees respective files. Jurnee Hoffmeyer on March 24 arrived home from Ganiard Elementary School, 101 S. Adams St., with the hair on one As your Board of Education, we are committed to ensuring our schools are safe and welcoming for all our students. Amy Bond, Mount Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education president, said Thursday that the district has not received the complaint. Jurnee's mother is white. In an interview with the Associated Press, Mount Pleasant father Jimmy Hoffmeyer said his daughter Jurnee arrived home from school on March 24 with the hair on one side of her head cut off. He said two days later a teacher cut Jurnee's hair to even it out. The employees involved have acknowledged their wrong actions and apologised.. The father of a 7-year-old Michigan girl whose hair was cut by a teacher without her parents permission has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the school district, a librarian and a teachers assistant. The father of a seven-year-old girl named Jurnee Hoffmeyer is filing a $1 million lawsuit against her previous school over her haircut, which was done without A white employee and white administrators being investigated by a nearly all-white school board who hired an unknown independent investigator is not an appropriate lens by which to evaluate this situation. The school board also said an independent investigation determined that, despite the "good intentions" of the worker who cut the girl's hair, the employee had violated school policy by cutting the student's hair without permission from her parents and without the knowledge of district administrators. On Friday school board officials claimed: Its clear from the third-party investigation and the districts own internal investigation that MPPS employees had good intentions when performing the haircut. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools, MLive.com reported. As a result of the incident and the third-party investigation, our school policies have been clarified to help ensure incidents like this do not happen again. I would of lost my freaking mind. News provided by The Associated Press. Mount Pleasant Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Verleger said she has personally apologized to the students family. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, courts frequently conclude that a students hairstyle is a form of free expression, or that policies in question violate a students rights to freedom of expression or equal protection. The suit named Mount Pleasant Public Schools, librarian Two days later, Jurnee returned home a second time with nearly all her hair cut off down to a few inches from her scalp. The teacher was immediately suspended and is currently under investigation. Hair like Jurnees is too often viewed as a problem to be solved., The school board said the staff member who cut Hoffmeyers hair will be placed on a last chance agreement, meaning that any future violations will likely result in termination.. This is the second unasked-for chop for a 7-year-old daughter in a week, according to her father. "We've had to take her to the doctor because she hasn't been eating. Jimmy Hoffmeyer, a father in Michigan, is suing the school district in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, because a school employee cut his daughter's hair. A 12-year-old Minnesota boy walked home from school without his afro. Hoffmeyer told the Associated Press Jurnee came home from school March 24 with most of the hair on one side of her head cut. The girl told her dad another student cut her hair with scissors on the bus. Hoffmeyer filed a complaint with the principal and had his daughters hair styled at a salon to even out the differing lengths. "https://t.co/0fXblhhfRR, In other news, Mean Lori Lightfoot Beetlejuice memes go viral as Chicago mayor concedes, The Official Hollyoaks Autumn Trailer | Hollyoaks, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rDJrPqz4Kuk/hqdefault.jpg. Jimmy Hoffmeyer said his daughters constitutional rights were violated., He is reportedly suing the school district and two staff members. Regardless of their good intentions, these actions were unacceptable and show a lack of judgment on the part of our two employees, Verleger said in a statement. The librarian who cut Jurnee Hoffmeyers hair was reprimanded by the Board of Education, who agreed to place her on a last chance agreement, in which she would almost certainly be fired if she violates it again in the future. The haircutting was done without permission from the students parents or consulting with school administrators. Hoffmeyer said he received a call from the districts superintendent about a week later after the schools spring break. Jurnees mother is white. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. She was crying, Hoffmeyer said. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific private school in India in question. "We should probably call him and let him know what just happened.". This teacher should be fired immediately. Two days after the bus incident and after her father complained to the principal and took Jurnee to a salon to style her hair in an asymmetrical cut to make the differing lengths less obvious Jurnee arrived home with her hair cut on the other side. Have something to tell us about this article? Newsweek has contacted the Mount Pleasant Public Schools District, Ganiard Elementary School and Jimmy Hoffmeyer for comment. She said she didnt have the authority to do anything, he added. "Father sues school district for $1 million after staff cut daughter's hair. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The union has called on the school to issue a formal apology to the family "for violating their rights and cutting Jurnee's hair without parental advisement or consent" and "formal consequences to the educators and staff who decided to act without parental permission, guidance or consent.". All three employees have apologized, the board said. Jimmy Hoffmeyer / AP. If she is convicted of any of the six counts, she could face up to three years and six months in prison. The board ruled to place Mogg on a last chance employment agreement, during which time any future violations will likely result in termination. Superintendent Jennifer Verleger recommended the discipline and was supported by the board. She was afraid of getting in trouble for getting her hair cut. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Two days later after complaining to the principal and having Jurnees hair styled at a salon with an asymmetrical cut to make the differing lengths less obvious Jurnee arrived home with the hair on the other side cut. That probe included conducting interviews and reviewing video footage and photographic evidence. It is also New Jerseys preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. I can assure you that the independent, third-party investigation was conducted without the perspective or conversation of the family who was harmed.. Who do you think cut Jurnees hair? The father of three young daughters says he has taken Jurnee out of the school and is considering enrolling her in a private school. Hoffmeyer took his little girl to a hair salon to make the differing lengths less obvious but was enraged to discover that two days later, a teacher had also taken to his daughter's hair. "I asked what happened and said, 'I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair,'" Hoffmeyer said at the time. Jurnee was removed from the school by her father and now attends classes elsewhere. He is also suing for racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and assault and battery. The school called after the bus incident and said the little girl stole the scissors off the teachers desk, and they were going to talk to the parents and deal with it accordingly, he said. "Jurnee had long, curly hair prior to it being cut off," the complaint states. Mount Pleasant Public Schools full statement is below: At Mt. In this conversation. The act was sponsored by Rep. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, and first introduced in 2019, then reintroduced in February 2021. The father of a seven-year-old girl named Jurnee Hoffmeyer is filing a $1 million lawsuit against her previous school over her haircut, which was done without permission. Powered and implemented by FactSet. She brought in professional shears and special barrettes.Jurnees teacher was also aware of the library employees plan to cut the girls hair, Verleger wrote. WRSX 91.3 Port Huron is off the air due to network issues. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Because of this, the distinction between military schools and army students is known as their distinctiveness and uniqueness.. A Michigan father has moved his 7-year-old biracial daughter from one school to another after the child's hair was cut on separate occasions by a classmate and a teacher. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Hoffmeyer said the explanations he has received from the principal and the district have done little to appease him. If a teacher cuts a students hair without permission, it could be considered assault and the teacher could be fired. But Hoffmeyer said the district never questioned him or Jurnee. Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said that in March his daughter Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side of her head cut. "After that teacher cut her hair, she was so embarrassed. The key takeaways in both reviews are consistent. Furthermore, the schools hair regulations may be in violation of the students equal protection rights because they may be based on a personal preference (such as the students hair length) rather than a legitimate educational interest. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, after a classmate and a teacher cut her hair on separate occasions. She said but dad, it was the teacher. The teacher cut her hair to even it out.. "We will aggressively defend against these baseless allegations in court and will not allow this to distract us from our mission to provide every child a world-class education that prepares them for college and careers.". The district did not specify how long the agreement would last. Two days later, Jurnee returned home from school in tears with all of her long curly hair cut down to within a couple of inches of her scalp. The Crown Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act) has been referred to the Senate. After the haircutting incident, Hoffmeyer removed Jurnee from Ganiard and enrolled her in another school. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said in March that a classmate used scissors to cut one side of his daughter's hair. Laster said failing to speak with the Hoffmeyer family means investigators have an incomplete picture of what motivated the haircut and how it affected Jurnee. Michigan school district confident facts will prevail in $1 million racial discrimination lawsuit in girls haircutting incident, Father of girl, 7, who had hair cut off by school staffer files $1 million lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, Even as local efforts increase, hair discrimination is still legal in Michigan, Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school staffer, Michigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cut, Michigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. Read more:Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school stafferMichigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cutMichigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. All rights reserved (About Us). WNEM As a result of the districts investigation, the employee who cut the students hair will be placed on a last chance agreement during which time any future violations will likely result in termination. Hoffmeyer said he received a call from the districts superintendent about a week later after the schools spring break. "She was crying. Because their class 11th-B will be taking the next board examination, students are advised to keep their long hair at home. The dad took issue with the response, countering by asking what the school was planning to do with the staffer who cut his daughters hair, Bradley said. And two Texas high school studentswere suspended from schoolin 2020 because they refused to cut off their dreadlocks. Father sues school district for $1 million after staff cut daughters hair, tweeted another. There is no evidence of a racially discriminatory intent, purpose, or motive, or evidence that Plaintiff was denied full and equal enjoyment of goods and services, attorney Piper wrote. To achieve our mission of providing a world-class education to all MPPS students, we must continuously strive to improve and acknowledge when we have not lived up to our own high standards., Father of girl, 7, who had hair cut off by school staffer files $1 million lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, Even as local efforts increase, hair discrimination is still legal in Michigan, Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school staffer, Michigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cut, Michigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. A month after the March incident, Midwest delegate for the National Parents Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The reprimands were to go in the employees files. The father of a 7-year-old Michigan girl whose hair was cut in school without her parents' consent has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the school district, a librarian The father said he found the explanations he has received from the school principal and the Mount Pleasant Public Schools District disappointing. She offered to have Im sorry cards mailed to the family, he said. But the district did not say who performed the independent investigation, and Laster said neither Jurnee nor her parents had been contacted by independent investigators. The teacher cut her hair to even it out.". File photo: Students walk to board a school bus in Manhattan's East Village. I spoke with the Hoffmeyer family today, as the statement came out, said Laster. The teacher cut her hair to even it out.". Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Mount Pleasant is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. It is unclear what will happen to her, but many are calling for her to be fired. A father in Michigan has transferred his biracial 7-year-old daughter to another school after a classmate and a school employee cut his child's curls. Piper also wrote her clients were entitled to qualified immunity. MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. The father of a 7-year-old Michigan girl whose hair was cut by a teacher without her parents permission has filed a $1 million About 4 percent of Mount Pleasants 25,000 residents are Black, according to the U.S. Census. In the complaint, neither of those two school employees is identified by their first names. 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