The principal of Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School in Indianapolis, Jason Smith, made a surprising decision when a eighth grader refused to remove his hat during class, going against school policy.
Instead of punishing him, Smith opted to help the student. He revealed that the student had problems with his teacher and the dean because of his attitude, but instead of applying a punishment, the principal chose to support him and find a solution to the conflict.
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Anthony Moore, an eighth grader at Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School, refused to remove his hat during class, even after instruction from the teacher. When confronted by the dean of the school, the student explained that he was hiding the haircut, which he was not happy with.
The dean, concerned about the student's attitude, spent about half an hour talking to him before referring him to the principal, Jason Smith. In a different approach than expected, he chose to help the student instead of imposing a punishment, questioning him about his concerns and trying to understand the reason.
The student revealed that he was wearing a hat because of his hair, which had an apparently bad cut. He commented that his parents took him to have his hair cut, but that he didn't like the cut.
The principal and dean did their best to reassure Moore, assuring him that his hair didn't look bad. However, the eighth grader was still unconvinced and expressed his concern about social acceptance among peers, which he considered more important than the opinion of adults.
Understanding the importance of self-image in a teenager's life, Smith and the dean decided to take a more sympathetic approach to helping Moore feel more comfortable at his school.
Following protocol, director Jason Smith reached out to Moore's parents to ask permission to resolve the hat problem. Moore's mother, Tawanda Johnson, agreed with the idea.
With parent and student approval, Smith took an unusual step and resolved the impasse personally. He drove to Moore's house, picked up his scissors and deftly smoothed the student's hair.
After the photo of Jason Smith cutting Anthony Moore's hair went viral on social media, the director explained that his attitude was not just to comply with school policy, but rather because he deeply understood the meaning of a bad haircut for men black.
For many black men, hair is more than just a cosmetic issue. It represents cultural identity, self-esteem and connection to your heritage.
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