Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

4 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

4 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

5 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

6 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

8 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

9 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

9 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

10 hours ago
Did Racial Bias Lead to Fresno Unified Hair Policy Change? Mom Says Yes.
David Taub Website photo 2024
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 7 years ago on
March 20, 2018

Share

Fresno Unified School District is suspending enforcement of its hairstyle policy.
And while neither the superintendent nor the school board president says it is in reaction to allegations of racial bias, a mother who is also a substitute teacher says her son was discriminated against.
Superintendent Bob Nelson announced the change Monday, in response to a case at Tenaya Middle School. There, the school held Erika Paggett’s son out of class for what was called a distracting haircut.

Hair Policy

“Fresno Unified absolutely regrets any difficulty that our student or his family may have experienced regarding this incident specifically in question,” Nelson said when announcing the policy change.
Nelson and school board president Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas want the full board to review its dress code policy, a process that hasn’t happened since 2003.

“Fresno Unified absolutely regrets any difficulty that our student or his family may have experienced regarding this incident specifically in question.”Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson
The Dress and Grooming policy states:
“Any apparel, hairstyle, cosmetic or jewelry, even if not specifically mentioned below, which creates a safety concern, draws undue attention to the wearer, or tends to detract from the educational process is prohibited unless addressed elsewhere in this regulation.”
In the meantime, Nelson is using his powers as superintendent to tell schools to stop disciplining students for hair violations. Each school, however, has discretion on how it adapts the grooming policy.
Paggett supports Fresno Unified’s change.
“I very much welcome the opportunity to be part of the group to help develop the language that can be in the revised dress code,” she said.

Racial Bias?

“I do think there was a racial bias.”Erika Paggett, mother of Tenaya student
Neither Nelson nor Jonasson Rosas would directly say that racial bias led to the change.
Paggett had no problem saying the district practiced discrimination.
”I do think there was a racial bias,” Paggett said. She also made observations of selective dress-code enforcement by administrators from her experience as a substitute teacher.
Said Nelson: “We have to make sure that whatever our policy is, that it be culturally responsive across all fronts and we take all ethnic groups into consideration and that those voices are heard. We are an incredibly diverse district.”

New Policy Reduces Subjective Decisions

The superintendent also said that not enforcing the old hair policy would make life easier for school administrators because it would free them from subjective decisions.
“We may have had decisions made that did not come across as respectful or responsible,” Nelson added.
Jonasson Rosas took a forward-looking approach.
“I think there is an opportunity for us to revisit and see what we can do to make sure our regulations and our guidance to the schools and to the parents is redone in a culturally sensitive way that recognizes the differences in the types of hairstyles that different people may choose to wear.
Paggett said she didn’t comprehend how her son’s haircut could be distracting.
“To single out this one particular haircut on this one particular student and say it was considered a distraction, and he happened to be black. … I didn’t think it was a coincidence,” she said.

ACLU Attorney Says District is ‘Out of Step’ With Law

ACLU attorney Abre’ Conner said that while Paggett and the district settled their dispute in an informal manner, more needs to be done with the grooming policy.
“We know that students of color, in particular black students, are being discriminated against. These types of suspensions lead to racial achievement gaps. We think that it is important that the school district is looking into these policies. We also believe it is important because they are out of step with the law,” Conner said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

DON'T MISS

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

UP NEXT

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

UP NEXT

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

UP NEXT

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

UP NEXT

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

UP NEXT

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

UP NEXT

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

UP NEXT

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

UP NEXT

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

2 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

2 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

2 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

3 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

3 hours ago

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

3 hours ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

4 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

4 hours ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

4 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

5 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

A two-vehicle collision sent a woman driving one of the vehicles to the hospital with a head injury Thursday afternoon in Fresno. Fresno pol...

11 minutes ago

A crash causes a traffic jam in northwest Fresno on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)
11 minutes ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned 52,593 acres with 5% containment, prompting evacuation orders in several San Luis Obispo County zones as of Thursday, July 3, 2025, afternoon. (CalFire)
1 hour ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

1 hour ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

2 hours ago

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

An ICE agent talks with migrants about their scheduled appointments with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Father’s Day, to learn about their immigration status, in Chicago, Illinois., U.S., June 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
2 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

Boeing logo and miniature satellite model are seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
2 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

3 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
3 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend