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One of my Black students was on a field trip to some businesses with an entrepreneurial program he *excels* in. He was pulled aside 5 times by the same white male "mentor" to ask him to take off his durag.
He didn't. The org is now rethinking their "headwear" policy.
He didn't. The org is now rethinking their "headwear" policy.
The arguments the mentor gave for why this was necessary were, as Kendi reframed microaggressions, "racist abuse " & "racist policy."
Argument 1: "We want to respect the businesses we visit." Even if this kid wasn't, the SWEETEST kid ever, this is total BS. A durag covers hair.
Argument 1: "We want to respect the businesses we visit." Even if this kid wasn't, the SWEETEST kid ever, this is total BS. A durag covers hair.
Argument 2: "There were no other people in the offices with durags on."
Uh, yeah. I wonder why.
Uh, yeah. I wonder why.
Argument 3: "It's a rule and we talked about professional dress before the trip." This youth had a buttoned up shirt and pants on. There was no explicit rule about durags, the dude realized, but quickly pronounced it "unprofessional."
Moral of the story: my student is a badass. He made his points, he found allies to take the issue to leadership, and he is explicitly not having anything to do with the mentor who harassed him.
Also: be that ally.
Also: dress codes are still racist, sexist bullshit.
Also: be that ally.
Also: dress codes are still racist, sexist bullshit.
