The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Now, the Mount All rights reserved (About Us). The board ruled to place Mogg on a last chance employment agreement, during which time any future violations will likely result in termination. Superintendent Jennifer Verleger recommended the discipline and was supported by the board. The librarian who cut Jurnee Hoffmeyers hair was reprimanded by the Board of Education, who agreed to place her on a last chance agreement, in which she According to the complaint4, Jurnees school has long hair regulations, but it is not clear what those regulations are; however, it is likely that the school has implemented a policy to prevent excessive hair growth. The district "failed to properly train, monitor, direct, discipline and supervise their employees, and knew or should have known that the employees would engage in the complained of behavior given the improper training, customs, procedures and policies, and the lack of discipline that existed for employees," according to the lawsuit. She was crying, Hoffmeyer said. It's clear from the third-party investigation and the districts own internal investigation that MPPS employees had good intentions when performing the haircut. The investigation included interviews with district personnel, students and families, as well as a review of video and photos, including posts on social media, the district said. Michigan school district confident facts will prevail in $1 million racial discrimination lawsuit in girls haircutting incident, Father of girl, 7, who had hair cut off by school staffer files $1 million lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, Even as local efforts increase, hair discrimination is still legal in Michigan, Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school staffer, Michigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cut, Michigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said that in March his daughter Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side of her head cut. Hoffmeyer told the Associated Press Jurnee came home from school March 24 with most of the hair on one side of her head cut. The girl told her dad another student cut her hair with scissors on the bus. Hoffmeyer filed a complaint with the principal and had his daughters hair styled at a salon to even out the differing lengths. The board added that the third-party inquiry was performed in addition to an internal review by the school districts administration. The student was horrified and ran out of the classroom in tears. That librarian is now a named defendant in a $1 million civil rights lawsuit filed by the girls father. Jimmy Hoffmeyer of Michigan filed the case on behalf of his daughter Jurnee Hoffmeyer. The lawsuit claims that the librarian, along with the school district and a teachers assistant, violated Jurnees civil rights. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Hoffmeyer said he filed an incident report with the Mount Pleasant police, but as of Monday no officer had contacted him to follow up on the complaint. With the investigation concluded, we can now move forward together as one MPPS family and community dedicated to helping all students achieve and succeed. Nonetheless, their actions were unacceptable and showed a major lack of judgement, the district said. Hoffmeyer said the girl who cut Jurnees hair and the teacher who cut it are white. Hoffmeyer said he received a call from the districts superintendent about a week later after the schools spring break. She said a classmate used scissors to cut her hair on a school bus, Hoffmeyer told The Associated Press in April. The employees involved have acknowledged their wrong actions and apologized. 91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids First published on September 17, 2021 / 6:05 PM. We believe a last chance agreement is appropriate given that the employee has an outstanding record of conduct and has never once been reprimanded in more than 20 years of work at MPPS, the board wrote. Jimmy Hoffmeyer said Monday he also is considering taking his daughter, Jurnee, out of Mount Pleasant Public Schools and enrolling her in a private school. On March 24, Jurnee arrived home from Ganiard Elementary with much of the hair on one side cut. After a fellow student cut her head off on the bus on March 24, she returned home with one side of her head cropped open. Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports. Regardless of their good intentions, these actions were unacceptable and show a lack of judgment on the part of our two employees, Verleger said in a statement. Furthermore, the schools hair regulations may be in violation of the students equal protection rights because they may be based on a personal preference (such as the students hair length) rather than a legitimate educational interest. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Christina Laster, an advocate for the Hoffmeyer family and the policy and legislation director for the National Parents Union, said the employees intent shouldnt matter. To achieve our mission of providing a world-class education to all MPPS students, we must continuously strive to improve and acknowledge when we have not lived up to our own high standards., Father of girl, 7, who had hair cut off by school staffer files $1 million lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, Even as local efforts increase, hair discrimination is still legal in Michigan, Department of Civil Rights deeply concerned about Mount Pleasant girls haircut by school staffer, Michigan school district says girl, 7, asked to have her hair cut, Michigan girls haircut by school staffer modern-day scalping, says National Parents Union. It was a normal day at school when the teacher walked into the classroom and saw one of her students with a haircut that she didnt like. A father in Michigan has transferred his biracial 7-year-old daughter to another school after a classmate and a school employee cut his child's curls. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, who is biracial, is pictured before the unapproved haircuts took place. The key findings of the third-party investigation are: The third-party investigation is in addition to a thorough internal review conducted by district administration, including conducting interviews, reviewing videotaped and photographic evidence, consistent with the laws and district policies and procedures. This is the second unasked-for chop for a 7-year-old daughter in a week, according to her father. Newsweek has contacted the Mount Pleasant Public Schools District, Ganiard Elementary School and Jimmy Hoffmeyer for comment. She offered to have Im sorry cards mailed to Two other employees were aware of the incident but didnt report it. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. We believe a last-chance agreement is appropriate given that the employee has an outstanding record of conduct and has never once been reprimanded in more than 20 years of work at Mount Pleasant Public Schools, the board said. "We are confident that the facts will prevail given our district's appropriate and aggressive response to the incident and the findings of the third-party investigation that was conducted," Bond said in a statement. Rutgers is dedicated to teaching, research, and public service, and its mission. The Teacher Who Cut Off A Students Hair Bachelors Degree In Elementary Education: The Best Choice For Elementary School Teachers, Rutgers: A Top Choice For Students Interested In Pursuing A Career In Teaching, The Best Places In The World to Seek Practical Education, 4 Ways Teachers Can Improve Their Performance in the Classroom, The Unique And Rewarding Experience Of Teaching At A Christian School, What To Do Before The School Year Starts Teacher, How To Teach High School Genetics: A Guide. Later, the schools principal told him the most that could happen to the library teacher was a note in her work file, Hoffmeyer said. Jurnee Hoffmeyer on March 24 arrived home from Ganiard Elementary School, 101 S. Adams St., with the hair on one side of her head cut off. A teacher at a school in Georgia was caught on video cutting a black students hair while he was asleep in class. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Mount Pleasant School Districts superintendent dismissed the allegations as an example of misinformation. Verleger added that she has personally apologized to the students family. She said but dad, it was the teacher. The teacher cut her hair to even it out.. Jurnee Hoffmeyer on March 24 arrived home from Ganiard Elementary School, 101 S. Adams St., with the hair on one If she is convicted of any of the six counts, she could face up to three years and six months in prison. The suit named Mount Pleasant Public Schools, librarian I would of lost my freaking mind. A couple of weeks ago, Jurnee Hoffmeyer got her hair cut by another student on the bus home from school, her father, Jimmy, says.It didnt look, arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing, Free legal representation now available for many Detroiters facing eviction, MSU announces new security measures, plan for external review of response to mass shooting on campus, Michigan Senate advances repeal of 1931 abortion ban though the ban is already unenforceable, Michigan Senate passes Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act expansion to add LGBTQ rights, Former Burton police officer charged with hate crime, Mount Pleasant family says daughters haircut by school staff exposes racial bias. The teacher was immediately suspended and is currently under investigation. 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. Some feel that the teacher was justified in her actions, while others feel that she went too far. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. These written reprimands will go into the employees respective files. IE 11 is not supported. Im not one to try to make things about race, he said. Jurnee said a classmate used scissors to cut her hair on a school bus, Hoffmeyer told The Associated Press earlier this year. Two days later, Jurnee returned home from school in tears with all of her long curly hair cut down to within a couple of inches of her scalp. We truly appreciate the support and patience by our students, staff and families while an independent, third-party investigation was conducted regarding an incident at Ganiard Elementary School, the Mount Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education said in a statement on Friday, MLive reports. She kept asking me what she could do to make it go away.. The Mount Pleasant Public Schools board commissioned an independent third-party investigation into why a library staff member cut 7-year-old Jurnee Hoffmeyers hair at school on March 26. A Michigan father has moved his 7-year-old biracial daughter from one school to another after the childs hair was cut on separate occasions by a classmate and a teacher. Piper also wrote her clients were entitled to qualified immunity. She said she didnt have the authority to do anything, he added. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, The Crown Act challenges hair discrimination, The Crown Act seeks to protect against hair discrimination. She was afraid of getting in trouble for getting her hair cut., I asked what happened and said I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair, he continued. "All of this because her hair didn't look how they thought it should, wasn't done to their standards. Jimmy Hoffmeyer seeks $1 million from Mount Pleasant Public Schools, alleging it violated his biracial daughters constitutional rights. I got mad and hung up, said Hoffmeyer who is Black and white. One tweeted: Father sues for $1M after Michigan teacher cuts 7-year-old daughters hair Teacher should not have cut that childs hair, thats for sure. Parents are upset that they were not informed about the incident and that they are eager for more information. The union has called on the school to issue a formal apology to the family "for violating their rights and cutting Jurnee's hair without parental advisement or consent" and "formal consequences to the educators and staff who decided to act without parental permission, guidance or consent.". "She was crying. Superintendent Verleger has also personally apologized to the family on behalf of the school district. About 4 percent of Mount Pleasants 25,000 residents are Black, according to the U.S. Census. I can assure you that the independent, third-party investigation was conducted without the perspective or conversation of the family who was harmed.. The father of a seven-year-old girl named Jurnee Hoffmeyer is filing a $1 million lawsuit against her previous school over her haircut, which was done without permission. Regardless, their decisions and actions are unacceptable and show a major lack of judgement. In 2018, a New Jersey high school student wasforced to cut off his dreadlocksto compete in a wrestling match. There is no evidence that Defendants actions shocks the conscience and did not result in an injury so severe so as to constitute a substantive due process violation under the Fourteenth Amendment.. This is a complete abuse of power. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. After allegedly pressuring a student into getting a haircut, a California teacher was fired and charged with six misdemeanor counts of child cruelty. The haircutting was done without permission from the students parents or consulting with school administrators. Hair like Jurnees is too often viewed as a problem to be solved., The school board said the staff member who cut Hoffmeyers hair will be placed on a last chance agreement, meaning that any future violations will likely result in termination.. Hoffmeyer Said Jurnee Was Crying & Afraid of Getting in Trouble After the Teacher Cut Her Hair Hoffmeyer said in an interview with the Associated Press that She was afraid of getting in trouble for getting her hair cut., I asked what happened and said I thought I told you no child should ever cut your hair. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools, MLive.com reported. "I've pretty much grown up with only white people, myself. "She said, 'But Dad, it was the teacher.' The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated. Jurnee Hoffmeyer, 7, arrived home from a Michigan school last month with a haircut from a classmate on the school bus and, later, another from her teacher. Amy Bond, the Mount Pleasant school board president, said Thursday the district has not received the lawsuit. Treat our children as you would treat your very own is the way to offer care, Laster wrote. On video, the teacher can be seen cutting the hair of a student seated in the front row of a classroom at University Preparatory High School in California. Jurnee Hoffmeyer. Jimmy Hoffmeyer / AP MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. The father of a 7-year-old Michigan girl whose hair was cut by a teacher without her parents permission has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the school district, a librarian and a teachers assistant. Her teaching credentials were suspended twice due to immoral conduct, and she was previously suspended from teaching. He is also suing for racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and assault and battery. But it has nothing to do with White, Black, or Bi-racial. "After that teacher cut her hair, she was so embarrassed. The key takeaways in both reviews are consistent. Ive pretty much grown up with only white people, myself.. Jurnee, seen here at age 7, is biracial. The local school board has deemed Jimmys allegations as baseless and have claimed that they would aggressively defend them in court., Jurnees father first made headlines in March after revealing that a teacher from his daughters school, Ganiard Elementary, had cut her hair without parental permission., He told The Associated Press in April that Jurnee arrived home from school with hair on one side cut. LANSING, MI The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has taken notice of a recent incident involving a Mount Pleasant schoolgirl having her hair cut by a fellow student and then by a staff member, incidents that have garnered public outcry. It is also New Jerseys preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Jurnee Hoffmeyer arrived home from Ganiard Elementary in Mount Pleasant with hair missing just before spring break, her father, Jimmy, said in April. Regardless, their decisions and actions are unacceptable and show a major lack of judgment. He added that he also received a call from the school district's superintendent about a week later offering to have "I'm sorry" cards mailed to the family but "got mad and hung up" on the call. Oh, hell NO!! The father of three young daughters says he has taken Jurnee out of the school and is considering enrolling her in a private school. 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