Kansas school forced 8-year-old Native American boy to cut his hair, ACLU says

Published November 18, 2023 1:59 PM

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union says a Kansas grade school forced an 8-year-old Native American boy to cut off his hair after he grew it out for cultural reasons. In a letter sent Friday, the ACLU demanded that the Girard School District rescind a policy at the boy’s elementary school that bars long hair for boys, alleging it violates state and federal laws. The ACLU says at an annual tribal gathering the boy saw many men with long hair and was inspired to adopt the common cultural practice of cutting hair only when mourning the loss of a loved one. The superintendent did not immediately respond to an email Saturday seeking comment.

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