A Damn Shame: 12


Welcome to 2013, where it is still radical for a black girl to wear her hair the way it naturally grows out of her naturally black head.


That's the scrutiny a 12-year-old student in Florida is facing, along with the possibility of being expelled, for refusing to 'tame' her beautiful natural mane.


Vanessa VanDyke was given one week to decide whether to cut her hair or leave Faith Christian Academy in Orlando, a school she has been attending since third grade. Teasing about her big mane started with the students, but now administrators are singling the child out for her appearance.


Which, by the way, is unbearably adorable and not at all offensive (see Vanessa above).


But according to Click Orlando, the Academy has a pretty strict dress code that deems Vanessa's hair unacceptable.


The student handbook reads: 'Hair must be a natural color and must not be a distraction,' and goes on to state examples that include, but are not limited to, mohawks, shaved designs and rat tails.


And get this. Vanessa has been wearing her natural hair for some time now, but was only slapped with the expulsion after her family complained about students teasing her.


'There have been bullies in the school,' said Vanessa's mom Sabrina Kent. 'There have been people teasing her about her hair, and it seems to me that they're blaming her.'


'I'm depressed about leaving my friends and people that I've known for a while, but I'd rather have that than the principals and administrators picking on me and saying that I should change my hair,' said VanDyke.


Just shameful. For the record Vanessa, your hair is beautiful. Like, envy-worthy. But since envy is never good, just know that it is pretty freaking awesome. And you rock for keeping your head (and hair) above all the madness.


SOURCE: Click Orlando | PHOTO CREDIT: Screengrab

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