She was crying, Hoffmeyer said. This is a complete abuse of power. We believe a last-chance agreement is appropriate given that the employee has an outstanding record of conduct and has never once been reprimanded in more than 20 years of work at Mount Pleasant Public Schools, the board said. The school board said the independent investigation found no racial bias and included interviews with district personnel, students and families and a review of video and photos, including posts on social media. Other schools have drawn unwanted attention for policing the hairstyles of students of color. "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.". A month after the March incident, Midwest delegate for the National Parents Union Bernita Bradley, who is working with Mr Hoffmeyer, described the incident as a modern-day scalping and says that Jurnee has been left traumatised. The employees involved have acknowledged their wrong actions and apologised.. A 12-year-old Minnesota boy walked home from school without his afro. 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 teacher's assistant. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, after a classmate and a teacher cut her hair on separate occasions. 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. Both are being reviewed for further disciplinary actions in accordance without school policies and procedures.. In this conversation. A white elementary school librarian who cut the hair of a biracial girl will be allowed to keep her job despite an outcry over the incident. The Mount Pleasant Public Schools board commissioned an independent third-party investigation into why a library staff member cut 7-year-old Jurnee Hoffmeyers hair at school on March 26. 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. However, there are no specific rules about teachers cutting students hair. Cutting a students hair on school grounds either with or without parent permission is a clear violation of school policy. We truly appreciate the support and patience by our students, staff and families while an independent, third-party investigation was conducted regarding an incident at Ganiard Elementary School. In 2019, an 11-year-old cheerleader in Coloradowas cut from a private cheer teambecause she didn't wear her hair in a ponytail like her White and Latina teammates. Hoffmeyer Said Jurnee Was Crying & Afraid of Getting in Trouble After the Teacher Cut Her Hair Hoffmeyer said in an interview with the Associated Press that He said two days later a teacher cut Jurnee's hair to even it out. The teacher of a Minnesota middle school cut off the hair of a 12-year-old black boy without the permission of his parents. Now, Hoffmeyer is suing both Ganiard Elementary teachers along with their school district for $1 million, according to the lawsuit filed in a federal court in Michigan. In a statement released late Tuesday, District Superintendent Jennifer Verleger confirmed Hoffmeyers story, adding the childs teacher was aware of the library employees plan to cut the students hair. 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. Hoffmeyer said he received a call from the districts superintendent about a week later after the schools spring break. 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. I spoke with the Hoffmeyer family today, as the statement came out, said Laster. She said a classmate used scissors to cut her hair on a school bus, Hoffmeyer told The Associated Press in April. 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.. Some feel that the teacher was justified in her actions, while others feel that she went too far. / MoneyWatch. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, arrived home from a Michigan school last month with an unwanted haircut from her teacher, sparking outrage from her father and the community alike. Jurnee, seen here at age 7, is biracial. Investigation Finds No Evidence Of Racial Bias In Jurnee Hoffmeyer, who is Black, said in March that his daughter Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, with much of the hair on one side of her head cut. The bill would establish legal protections for Black people against discrimination due to hair color. District administrators also performed an internal review of the incident. The teacher had been cutting the boys hair without permission from his parents. Jimmy Hoffmeyer said a teacher cut his 7-year-old daughters hair without his permission. This degree will give you the knowledge and skills you need to be an effective elementary school teacher. Librarian On Last Chance Agreement After Cutting Students Hai 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 school board, on the other hand, has determined that jurors hair was not cut to coincide with her race. "She was crying. Jurnee's mother is white. One tweeted: Father sues for $1M after Michigan teacher cuts 7-year-old daughters hair Teacher should not have cut that childs hair, thats for sure. Quit with that crap., Another wrote, I literally had palpitations just reading the headline. 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. 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. The district did not specify how long the agreement would last. The staffer was accused of performing a modern-day scalping by a parents group, but school district officials in Michigan announced that after a third-party investigation into the incident, the librarian did not act with racial bias and therefore will keep her job. Mr Hoffmeyer told the Associated Press that neither he nor his daughter were questioned as part of the investigation. In the spirit of transparency, we are presenting the key findings from this investigation and resulting discipline as recommended by Superintendent Jennifer Verleger with support from the school board. Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said in March that a classmate used scissors to cut one side of his daughter's hair. The NPU is working to raise awareness of the Crown Act, a bill that bans race-based hair discrimination, which is already law in some states. Margaret Gieszinger, 52, a chemistry teacher in California, was caught on camera forcibly cutting a students hair and throwing it behind her while singing the national anthem. Maybe the teacher was trying to even out her hair, or maybe Jurnee had lice. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The district failed to properly train, monitor, direct, discipline, and supervise their employees, and knew or should have known that the employees would engage in the complained of behavior given the improper training, customs, procedures, and policies, and the lack of discipline that existed for employees, according to the lawsuit. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I see this type of stuff manifest all across this nation, and if were really, truly looking to end and eradicate systemic racism, people are going to have to do the hard, introspective work of challenging their own thoughts and beliefs, Laster said. Because she had to go back to class like that," he added. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, arrived home from a Michigan school last month with a haircut from a classmate on the school bus and, later, another from her teacher. "We should probably call him and let him know what just happened.". She now attends another school. The school staffer who cut Jurnees hair is also white. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. All rights reserved (About Us). The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. The parent of Jurnee Hoffmeyer, a 7-year-old girl whose hair was cut by a school librarian, has sued the Michigan school district for $1 million. 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). 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. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, who is biracial, is pictured before the unapproved haircuts took place. 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 Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. Now, the Mount Pleasant Public Schools board said its seen the results of both an internal and an external investigation. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. 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 and a teacher's assistant. Newsweek has contacted the Mount Pleasant Public Schools District, Ganiard Elementary School and Jimmy Hoffmeyer for comment. "We've had to take her to the doctor because she hasn't been eating. It's clear from the third-party investigation and the districts own internal investigation that MPPS employees had good intentions when performing the haircut. Th investigation found no racial bias, the school board said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. ", "Our kind of hair, you can't just wet down and cut it because and that's when I feel like they should have, even if they were trying to do it in the kindest of their heart, once they seen the outcome, they should have been like, yeah we messed up," he told ABC12. Margaret Gieszinger, a 53-year-old science and chemistry teacher, was arrested on Wednesday in Santa Clara. The library employee cut Jurnees hair on March 26, without obtaining permission from the Jurnees parents or consulting with school administrators. ICE Limitations. She said 'but dad, it was the teacher.' Hoffmeyer said the explanations he has received from the principal and the district have done little to appease him. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. She's having trouble sleeping now and always wants to be with us," Hoffmeyer told the Black Wall Street Times, which states Jurnee is in first grade. 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. 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. 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. It was a normal day at school when the teacher walked into the classroom and saw one of her students with a haircut that she didnt like. Jimmy Hoffmeyer seeks $1 million from Mount Pleasant Public Schools, alleging it violated his biracial daughters constitutional rights. Who did they talk to? Mr Hoffmeyer asked on Friday when the results of the investigation were announced. Mount Pleasant Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Verleger said she has personally apologized to the students family. As your board, we have made every effort to address this matter with the seriousness and care it deserves and with the transparency our community expects.. Here's why. The student was horrified and ran out of the classroom in tears. The employees involved have acknowledged their wrong actions and apologized. As your Board of Education, we are committed to ensuring our schools are safe and welcoming for all our students. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific private school in India in question. 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 best degree for an elementary school teacher is a bachelors degree in elementary education. 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 People can still act on racial bias even with the best intentions, Laster said. Most schools have a dress code that teachers are required to follow. The district is located about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. The haircutting was done without permission from the students parents or consulting with school administrators. It alleges that the biracial girl's constitutional rights were violated, racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery. 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). In addition, Superintendent Verleger has recommended and the Board has accepted written reprimands for two additional MPPS employees who were aware of the incident but did not alert the students parents or the Administration.. Rutgers is dedicated to teaching, research, and public service, and its mission. The teacher was immediately suspended and is currently under investigation. The suit named Mount Pleasant Public Schools, librarian She kept asking me what she could do to make it go away.. 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.. As the girls father claims, Ms. Moggs,urnees library teacher, cut off her hair with the assistance of Ms. Jacobs, the schools teachers assistant. A teacher who cut a students hair is a very bad teacher. "All of this because her hair didn't look how they thought it should, wasn't done to their standards. Have something to tell us about this article? As your Board, we have made every effort to address this matter with the seriousness and care it deserves and with the transparency our community expects, the board said. The third-party independent investigation included interviews with and feedback from district personnel, students, families as well as a review of video and photographic evidence including social media posts. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools, MLive.com reported. Michigan is one of the states considering a CROWN Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act to protect women and girls who are frequently discriminated against for wearing natural hair. This may violate the students liberty rights because the school could be infringing on their right to free expression. Oh, hell NO!! A couple of weeks ago, Jurnee Hoffmeyer got her hair cut by another student on the bus home from school, her father, Jimmy, says.It didnt look, arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing, Free legal representation now available for many Detroiters facing eviction, MSU announces new security measures, plan for external review of response to mass shooting on campus, Michigan Senate advances repeal of 1931 abortion ban though the ban is already unenforceable, Michigan Senate passes Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act expansion to add LGBTQ rights, Former Burton police officer charged with hate crime, Mount Pleasant family says daughters haircut by school staff exposes racial bias. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Amy Bond, Mount Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education president, said Thursday that the district has not received the complaint. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 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 Crown Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act) has been referred to the Senate. 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. I know alot of yall want to kno more but this is all I can say at the moment but will update when I canjust want to keep ppl aware in the mean time. Jurnee said a classmate used scissors to cut her hair on a school bus, Hoffmeyer told The Associated Press earlier this year. Two days later, Jurnee returned home a second time with nearly all her hair cut off down to a few inches from her scalp. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. That probe included conducting interviews and reviewing video footage and photographic evidence. But Hoffmeyer said the district never questioned him or Jurnee. Two days after the bus incident and 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. Jimmy Hoffmeyer in September 2021 filed his federal lawsuit on behalf of his daughter Jurnee Hoffmeyer. On a related note, the Michigan House of Representatives in March 2022 passed the CROWN Act in a 235-189 vote to prohibit race-based hair discrimination. The librarian has been placed on a last chance employment notice and will be dismissed if there is any future infraction. We are confident that the facts will prevail given our districts appropriate and aggressive response to the incident and the findings of the third-party investigation that was conducted, Bond said in a statement. On March 24, Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side cut. The key takeaways in both reviews are consistent, the board stated. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Following the incident, Hoffmeyer is appealing for justice for his daughters hair cut at school. The acts name is a backronym for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. States including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington have adopted the Crown Act as law. If she is convicted of any of the six counts, she could face up to three years and six months in prison. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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