After allegedly pressuring a student into getting a haircut, a California teacher was fired and charged with six misdemeanor counts of child cruelty. Hoffmeyer took his little girl to a hair salon to make the differing lengths less obvious but was enraged to discover that two days later, a teacher had also taken to his daughter's hair. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, The Crown Act challenges hair discrimination, The Crown Act seeks to protect against hair discrimination. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The key takeaways in both reviews are consistent. That probe included conducting interviews and reviewing video footage and photographic evidence. The teacher was immediately suspended and is currently under investigation. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. If she is convicted of any of the six counts, she could face up to three years and six months in prison. 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. I got mad and hung up, said Hoffmeyer who is Black and white. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. September 17, 2021 / 6:05 PM Jurnee Hoffmeyer, who is biracial, is pictured before the unapproved haircuts took place. In 2018, a New Jersey high school student wasforced to cut off his dreadlocksto compete in a wrestling match. Big Lew arrived at the boys house to get his mobile barber business working. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. / MoneyWatch. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The employee who cut Hoffmeyers hair acted with good intentions, as did two other district employees who were aware of the haircut but did not alert Hoffmeyers parents or the school district, the board said in a statement emailed Friday. The school called after the bus incident and said the little girl stole the scissors off the teachers desk, and they were going to talk to the parents and deal with it accordingly, he said. It alleges that the biracial girls constitutional rights were violated, racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery. I asked what happened and said I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair, Hoffmeyer said at the time. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Jurnee, seen here at age 7, is biracial. Cutting a students hair on school grounds either with or without parent permission is a clear violation of school policy. I would of lost my freaking mind. Two days before the recent settlement conference, defense counsel filed a motion seeking the cases dismissal. Mr Hoffmeyer told the Associated Press that neither he nor his daughter were questioned as part of the investigation. The teacher who cut it also is white, said Hoffmeyer who has two other daughters, ages 8 and 4. 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. Our main purpose with the independent investigation has been to bring the facts to light, learn from this incident and make our district even stronger, the board wrote. Brett joined Michigan Radio in December 2021 as an editor. It is best to check with the school directly to inquire about their policies regarding hair length for students. 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. This degree will give you the knowledge and skills you need to be an effective elementary school teacher. 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 father of three young daughters says he has taken Jurnee out of the school and is considering enrolling her in a private school. The students family is now demanding answers from the school district. Margaret Gieszinger, a 53-year-old science and chemistry teacher, was arrested on Wednesday in Santa Clara. As a result of the incident and the third-party investigation, our school policies have been clarified to help ensure incidents like this do not happen again. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Piper also wrote her clients were entitled to qualified immunity. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Most schools have a dress code that teachers are required to follow. All three employees have apologized, the board said. The Crown Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act) has been referred to the Senate. 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. She was crying, Hoffmeyer said. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools, MLive.com reported. With the investigation concluded, we can now move forward together as one MPPS family and community dedicated to helping all students achieve and succeed. Amy Bond, the Mount Pleasant school board president, said Thursday the district has not received the lawsuit. Two other employees were aware of the incident but didnt report it. Did they really do an investigation?. 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. The barber arrived with his mobile barber shop to fix the boys hair. 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. Amy Bond, Mount Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education president, said Thursday that the district has not received the complaint. Jimmy Hoffmeyer said a teacher cut his 7-year-old daughters hair without his permission. 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. "We should probably call him and let him know what just happened.". 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. Other schools have drawn unwanted attention for policing the hairstyles of students of color. There is no evidence the incident was motivated by racial bias. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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 key takeaways in both reviews are consistent, the board stated. Mount Pleasant Public Schools full statement is below: At Mt. It is also New Jerseys preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. "She was crying. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Because their class 11th-B will be taking the next board examination, students are advised to keep their long hair at home. 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. "We've had to take her to the doctor because she hasn't been eating. If a teacher cuts a students hair without permission, it could be considered assault and the teacher could be fired. The teacher of a Minnesota middle school cut off the hair of a 12-year-old black boy without the permission of his parents. 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. 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 Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said that in March his daughter Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side of her head cut. 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. Jurnees mother is white. Christina Laster, an advocate for the Hoffmeyer family and the policy and legislation director for the National Parents Union, said the employees intent shouldnt matter. Mean Lori Lightfoot Beetlejuice memes go viral as Chicago mayor concedes, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. Hoffmeyer said he received a call from the districts superintendent about a week later after the schools spring break. Jurnee Hoffmeyer on March 24 arrived home from Ganiard Elementary School, 101 S. Adams St., with the hair on one side of her head cut off. Mount Pleasant Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Verleger said she has personally apologized to the students family. Maybe the teacher was trying to even out her hair, or maybe Jurnee had lice. 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 Powered and implemented by FactSet. Read more:Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school stafferMichigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cutMichigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. 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. The girl's hair was originally cut by a classmate on the school bus but was cut again by a teacher at Ganiard Elementary School days later to "even it out.". 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. Hair like Jurnees is too often viewed as a problem to be solved., The school board said the staff member who cut Hoffmeyers hair will be placed on a last chance agreement, meaning that any future violations will likely result in termination.. About 4 percent of Mount Pleasants 25,000 residents are Black, according to the U.S. Census. Market data provided by ICE Data Services. Some feel that the teacher was justified in her actions, while others feel that she went too far. As a result of the districts investigation, the employee who cut the students hair will be placed on a last chance agreement during which time any future violations will likely result in termination. 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. 91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids In July, the Mount Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education said the staffer who cut Jurnees hair was reprimanded and an independent third-party investigation determined that despite good intentions of the worker who cut the girls hair, doing so without permission from her parents and without the knowledge of district administrators violated school policy. Cutting a students hair on school grounds either with or without parent permission is a clear violation of school policy. Ive pretty much grown up with only white people, myself.. Paragliders record never-before-seen footage of world's second-tallest mountain, Elizabeth Holmes has 2nd child as prison sentence looms, Dozens of sharks swarm fishing boat in feeding frenzy off Louisiana coast, video shows, Brunt of storm moving out of SoCal, light showers on tap Wednesday, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Say goodbye to the iconic mail truck the postal service is electrifying its fleet, beginning with more than 9,000 new vehicles, Zero calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, USPS ordering 9,250 electric vehicles from Ford. File photo: Students walk to board a school bus in Manhattan's East Village. She now attends another school. She told her father, Jimmy Hoffmeyer that another student had cut her hair on the school bus with scissors taken from the classroom. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. Now, the Mount The board ruled to place Mogg on a last chance employment agreement, during which time any future violations will likely result in termination. Superintendent Jennifer Verleger recommended the discipline and was supported by the board. That probe included conducting interviews and reviewing video footage and photographic evidence. According to Hoffmeyer, her library teacher, Ms. Moggs, assisted and/or agreed with another teachers assistant, Ms. Jacobs, who allegedly cut Jurnees hair with scissors. "I asked what happened and said, 'I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair,'" Hoffmeyer said at the time. Because she had to go back to class like that," he added. The Mount Pleasant School Districts superintendent dismissed the allegations as an example of misinformation. Now, the Mount Pleasant Public Schools board said its seen the results of both an internal and an external investigation. 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 Regardless, their decisions and actions are unacceptable and show a major lack of judgement. MLive.com reports that the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools. Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports. This usually includes guidelines about appropriate hair styles. Superintendent Verleger has also personally apologized to the family on behalf of the school district. He added that he also received a call from the school district's superintendent about a week later offering to have "I'm sorry" cards mailed to the family but "got mad and hung up" on the call. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated. WRSX 91.3 Port Huron is off the air due to network issues. The short hair required by schools in India is an attempt to give students a proper dress code and a proper hairstyle. The key findings of the third-party investigation are: The third-party investigation is in addition to a thorough internal review conducted by district administration, including conducting interviews, reviewing videotaped and photographic evidence, consistent with the laws and district policies and procedures. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, courts frequently conclude that a students hairstyle is a form of free expression, or that policies in question violate a students rights to freedom of expression or equal protection. "Jurnee had long, curly hair prior to it being cut off," the complaint states. In this conversation. Nonetheless, their actions were unacceptable and showed a major lack of judgement, the district said. "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.". WNEM She said 'but dad, it was the teacher.' She was afraid of getting in trouble for getting her hair cut., I asked what happened and said I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair, he continued. Both are being reviewed for further disciplinary actions in accordance without school policies and procedures.. If you look at pictures of her before this happened, you can just see her spark and her energy. 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. She said a classmate used scissors to cut her hair on a school bus, Hoffmeyer told The Associated Press in April. News provided by The Associated Press. As the girls father claims, Ms. Moggs,urnees library teacher, cut off her hair with the assistance of Ms. Jacobs, the schools teachers assistant. Mr Hoffmeyer is Black and white, and Jurnees mother is white. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. But Hoffmeyer said the district never questioned him or Jurnee. 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. The investigation included interviews with district personnel, students and families, as well as a review of video and photos, including posts on social media, the district said. 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