“No kid should have to go through this at all,” said Garcia. “I just want something done for my son.”
Trigger Warning: This story mentions bullying that may be disturbing to readers.
Andreas Garcia, a 7-year-old Native American boy, had long shiny locks that he was proud of. After all, it was not just his wish to experiment, it was a part of who he was. But in school, when his teacher was busy doing something else, two bullies in his class chopped his hair off.
The incident took place in his first-grade classroom at Del City Elementary School, Oklahoma, recalled Garcia, his lips quivering, according to WJTV.
“I was mad,” he said as he retold the story. Garcia's furious parents said their son's hair was cut by his classmates at school without his permission, right before spring break.
“I was speechless and I couldn’t believe it,” said Jamil Garcia, Garcia's father. “How do you not notice two kids standing over someone to cut their hair, and how do first graders have scissors sharp enough [to cut hair]?”
Andreas Garcia remembers the day his long locks were cut in his first-grade classroom at an Oklahoma Elementary School.
— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) March 22, 2022
Andreas’s parents said their son’s hair was cut by his classmates at the school without his permission right before spring break. pic.twitter.com/dlgDN3ptWI
His mom, Denise Gonzales, added that his long hair was a proud symbol of their Kickapoo heritage. “This is our tradition,” she said. “He loves his hair and he took the time to grow it out.”
While the family has requested an investigation into the incident, they said the district is taking too long to do anything about it. “The school did not contact me at all till Saturday morning,” added Garcia. “And yet they want to investigate it, but not until Monday when school goes back in.”
Meanwhile, District Superintendent Rick Cobb released a statement on March 17, 2022, more than a week after the cutting incident, saying in part: “We recognize the significance of hair to our students’ identities and do not take this lightly. Any students found to be involved will receive discipline in a manner consistent with steps outlined in our student handbook.”
Apparently, the reason the investigation into the incident has been delayed is that the district called for a snow day the day after the incident allegedly occurred, and schools are now on spring break.
While the parents have mentioned they will wait for the outcome of the investigation to decide the next step, they also said this isn’t the first time their son has had problems with other students at the school.
They may consider moving him to another school, or homeschooling him for the rest of the year, they said. “No kid should have to go through this at all,” said Garcia. “I just want something done for my son.”
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Cover Image Source: YouTube | KFOR Oklahoma's News 4
