A reader describes a problem at a Gulen-related charter school:
Diane check out this letter a friend wrote to her school admin, Horizons Science Academy. Expressing concern over their new discriminatory hair policy in the student handbook that prohibits natural African-American hair textures in students.
I guess we don’t deserve an education at their school unless our hair is “fried, dyed, and laid to the side”
No diversity wanted here.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/amber-la-shae-pettaway/new-discriminatory-policy/10151409338931618
Diane Ravitch's blog 
For documentation on their connections to the Gülen Movement, see: http://atthechalkface.com/2013/07/05/more-episodes-of-schooling-in-a-not-so-post-racial-america/
Scary, is this school receiving public monies? This discrimination should not be tolerated whether it is a public charter or private. These are the kinds of things charters bring out, discrimination and segregation. The worst practices that many people worked years to eliminate. Is this the type of innovation Arne gushes over that charters are providing? Sad.
Forget public monies, in NY the top education official, Commissioner John King, was the commencement speaker at a Gulen charter!
Are Muslim girls allowed to wear veils/headscarves?
Click on the link posted by Robert and see the twitter pix of a young girl wearing a mask of a white girl asking: “Can I keep my school now?”
They have revised the policy as of June 20th. What would be more interesting is to ascertain the need for it in the first place.
I remember my high school history teacher saying that in the 70s they had to limit how high an afro could be so students did not block others from seeing the board. But at least they still let Afros be there.
Joanna, I remember the beehive banning (& we’re reminded of it in Hairspray!). But–there was a real reason for it–I, for one, could not see over my classmate’s head! A ridiculous fad, as it was.
In fact–in another–I actually ironed my hair, as did all my friends.
Ouch.
“But, your honor, we never actually BANNED African American students from our school…”
Again… Where is Obama? The governors are useless as is the. NOT-SO SUPREME COURT?nwhatvabout Oama’s go-fer boy, Duncan DO ABOUT THS? What about Obama, a supposedly Constitution lawyer. Oops ….. $$$$$, pure meanness, ignorance and spin prevails.
Well, just look–does anyone in the Obama family have an Afro or dreds? And, please, STOP asking where he is. Nowhere he is needed (remember those “walking shoes” that he couldn’t seem to find!!).
No one can help us except ourselves. Yes, WE can! And we WILL!
thank you so much for your attention to this!
I’m anti-facebook, so I don’t have an account. I wish I could read the policy.
(Hence why I’m anti-facebook, you can’t see anything or respond to almost any blog/newspaper/whatever without belonging to them. Monopoly!)
Who let them open a school?
A school? The Gülen Charter School network is the largest charter chain in the country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/largest-charter-network-in-us-schools-tied-to-turkey/2012/03/23/gIQAoaFzcS_blog.html
Gülen, Green Dot, KIPP, etc. are what happens when you put public funds into private hands.
Blatant racism. Let’s tell a white guy to not have a crew cut and to have kinky hair or else. Same to me. And with public money? Who are we is the question? Will we as a nation allow this with public money no matter who or what. What are our standards for real on equality and what does that mean?
The picture of the President in the Oval Office bending over to the request of a young African American boy who wanted to touch his hair is very poignant. It would make a great tee shirt picture to be worn by all those that protest this modern day racism. The ACLU should be on their doorstep. Discrimination in any form is abuse.