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In grammar schools worldwide, kids are taught to be comfortable with who they actually are. Or so it’s been made to believe. Vanessa VanDyke is a 12-year-old student at Faith Christian Academy in Orlando, FL. She tells local news outlets that she values her uniqueness and takes pride in it.

Her look has been described as “puffy” to some and she was recently teased about it from some of fellow classmates.

When Vanessa’s family went to the school’s administrator’s to report the teasing, the student handbook was drawn. In its pages, it states “hair must be a natural color and not be a distraction.” Which is exactly what they told Little Miss VanDyke her mane was underlined as.

Vanessa’s mother, Sabrina Kent, snapped back with thoughts of her own. “A distraction to one person is not a distraction to another. You could have a kid come in with people on his face. Are you going to call it a distraction?”

FCA didn’t budge and gave her one week to straighten or cut her hair or be removed from the school all together.

That’s right. Vanessa was the one who teased and she was originally facing expulsion as result. The school has since shifted their stance over the ordeal. Black women and their hair have been in face obstacles in more recent news. A waitress working at a Baltimore Hooters was fired after she decided to streak her hair blonde.

Via Click Orlando:

School administrators told Local 6 in a statement on Tuesday, “we’re not asking her to put products in her hair or cut her hair. We’re asking her to style her hair within the guidelines according to the school handbook.”

Vanessa and her mother will be discussing her hairstyle over Thanksgiving as school is in recess until Monday.

The school has their opinion but what about yours? Hit the gallery and see if Vanessa’s hairstyle meets your definition of a “distraction.”

Photo: WKMG6

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