THE BUZZ!
NEW JERSEY POLICE OFFICER FILES LAWSUIT ALLEGING HAIR DISCRIMINATION OVER WEARING BANTU KNOTS
Lastly,
A female police officer in New Jersey is suing her town and her boss for hair discrimination.
A Police Department veteran, claims she was discriminated against after being reprimanded for wearing her hair in a traditional African fashion. She accuses the department and her supervisor of subjecting her to “disciplinary action for having Black hair.”
The incident occurred on August 20, 2023, according to the lawsuit. She arrived at work with her hair in Bantu knots, a popular natural African hairstyle. After more than a week, the she receives a complaint from Internal Affairs alleging she violated the department’s on-duty dress code. Her sergeants were also punished for “failure to supervise” after they refused to discipline her.
According to the officer, her supervisor “aided and abetted” the police department, and she was subjected to “discipline as a result of her race and ethnicity.” Even though she is still employed by the department, she is concerned about her job security and whether the offense will hinder her from developing. The officer, who identifies as LGBTQ+, believes that she faces additional challenges in addition to the pressures of being a Black woman in a setting dominated by men. She claims she was “mortified” to find herself in trouble because of her hair.
She stated, “It’s so embarrassing.” “I feel inferior because of it.”
No-one should be made to feel like that about their hair. I’m rooting for her and hope she wins.
What happened to the CROWN Act?
Source: Black Enterprise
