Great Hearts Academies Reversing Course On 'Discriminatory' Hair Policy

By Austin Westfall
Published: Friday, February 9, 2018 - 5:05am
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Charter school organization Great Hearts Academies is reversing course on a policy that local advocacy groups, including the Arizona ACLU, have called discriminatory.

Brittany Anderson withdrew her son from Teleos Preparatory Academy last week because she was told his braided hair violated school policy. She took to Facebook about the incident, garnering widespread media attention.

Great Hearts Academies, which Teleos is part of, has now said the policy is being reviewed, and Anderson’s son is welcome back with no change in hairstyle.

Anderson says she will not be bringing her son back.

"I think because it got as big as it did, all of sudden you know, now they want to come to a truce or a treaty, and I don’t think that’s right," she said.

Anderson’s son is now enrolled at a different school.

A spokesperson for the ACLU of Arizona says it’s positive that Great Hearts reversed course, but they are waiting to see how exactly the organization revises its policies.