South Dakota Catholic School Demands Black Student Cut Off His Locs To Comply With Dress Code
A South Dakota Catholic school demanded that a Black student cut off his locs because of the dress code. But unwilling to comply, the 14-year-old freshman will leave the school after this semester.
According to The Argus Leader, on Aug. 26, Braxton Schafer told his parents that administrators at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota said he had to cut off his locs, which he’s worn since the sixth grade. The dress code for the school is that hair for boys must be above the collar.
Braxoton’s parents, who are white and adopted him when he was a newborn, said their son has attended the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools system since the sixth grade and this is the first time his hair has been an issue. Derrick Schafer, Braxton’s father, told The Argus Leader, “We don’t necessarily agree with the rule. We think it’s culturally biased.”
Toni Scafer, his mother, added, “It’s incredibly stressful, and he feels kind of like an outsider anyways, because when you’re one of very few (Black students), and I think he might be the only one there with locs, he’s devastated, basically.”
Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools president Kyle Groos has defended the dress code, “Can students wear dreadlocks? Yes, they can. We simply want the length of the hair to be at the collar or right above the collar. Right there is what we ask for. To be clean, neat and well-cared for.”
Braxton was wearing a ponytail to attend classes, but local station KELO reports that he has decided to leave the school after this semester. Braxton’s dad left the decision up to his son, “Ultimately we wanted it to be his decision. Your choices are to cut your hair if you want to stay, or if you don’t want to cut your hair, we’re going to have to go, and he said he loves the school, he loves the kids, but he doesn’t want to cut his hair.”
O’Gorman High School says it’s possible the dress code could change when it’s reviewed in the spring of 2023.
