Metro Mother 'Angry' After Son's Hair Was Cut By Teacher Without Permission

Originally published April 18

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Twin Cities mother says she wants answers after her son's teacher cut his hair without her permission.

The incident happened during the school day last week. Because he is only 12, we are protecting his identity. One thing is for sure: He was proud of the afro he was growing.

"It was actually growing pretty well, actually he was thinking about all kind of styles he wanted to do with it," said Daetney McReynolds, the boy's mother.

That's why his parents were shocked when he came home from school last Monday.

"And he said, 'Are you guys going to be mad?' We were like, 'For what?' He pulls his hat off and goes, 'My teacher cut my hair,'" said Tadow McReynolds, the boy's mother.

She says when she asked him why, he told her.

"'I was just really angry … I was just mad and then my head was down and the teacher come over and said, 'Let me fix it for you,'" she said.

McReynolds says she is angry that no one called her or her wife when her son had a breakdown.

"What made her think that this is OK? if you were going to help my child why wouldn't you do it the proper way, common sense way, the helpful way? By getting him some real help?" Tadow said.

She took to social media to express her concerns, and says her village came to her aid. KMOJ Radio's William Baker is a long-time public school educator who knows how important a crown, or hair, is to the Black community.

"It just demoralized him, just take his pride away," Baker said. "And now his hair is being put in a situation where people are dictating how he should look."

Baker called his mobile barber. Barber Big Lew gets a chance to help this young man get a fresh start with a new cut for his new school he starts in the morning. But his parents have lots of questions for the teacher and school, where scissors were used to cut her son's hair without their permission.

"Why didn't we get a phone call and email, a text?" Tadow said.

We are not naming the school in question as officials there have not returned our calls. Police in that city do confirm an officer was called when parents arrived at the school with questions.

The 12-year-old's parents say they want the teacher involved to be held accountable.