wo African-American teens have come forward saying that they have been victims of hair discrimination and denied employment at Six Flags Over Texas?
Both young adults claim they were informed they could cut their hair if they desired to paintings at the famous Arlington leisure park.
In an interview with WFAA Channel 8, sixteen-yr-old Brandon Kobe Pierce said employers pulled him to the side following his meeting, and stated, ‘You could have to cut your hair, or we will rent you at Six Flags.”
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Pierce’s mother, who joined him for the on-air interview, says that Pierce’s grandfather as soon as worked at the park, and the family turned into waiting for the keen youngster’s employment. “We endorsed him to visit Six Flags. We counted down the days,” the mom of the high college junior advised Channel eight.
Pierce found out that he’s had the identical hair fashion due to the fact an infant, and that although the park allows ladies employees to have lengthy hair “pulled again into a bun,” that such “extreme” hairstyles are forbidden on guys.
“If girls are capable of wear their hair pulled returned and they can have it long, then guys shouldn’t reduce their hair,” Pierce remarked.
Pierce’s decision to come back ahead with his story become stimulated by a 17-yr-old who went viral for his discriminatory stumble upon with the park. Last weekend, the mother of 17-yr-antique Kerion Washington, Karis Washington, published to Facebook that her son turned into became down a process at Six Flags Arlington due to his dreadlocks.
“I spoke with the HR Supervisor, and he or she said they gave him the possibility to return lower back while he doesn’t have dreads … she said dreads are NOT allowed however he could have braids. — and said they are an excessive coiffure — she also went on and as compared them to tattoos and piercings,” Washington said in her submit.
Washington, who didn’t respond to requests for an interview from the news outlet, also commented on Facebook about Pierce’s situation.
“The factor that bothers me is that they don’t give them the option to place it up … they simply say reduce it,” Washington stated.
“African-Americans take pride in our hair and are obsessed with our hair, particularly being capable of developing our hair out. Because now not absolutely everyone has the same hair. Your hair will by no means appear as mine and mine will never appear to be yours. Both this younger man and my son’s hair is neat and groomed. What’s the real difficulty?” the mom inquired.
Sharon Parker, a Six Flags spokeswoman, claims that the enterprise’s coverage applies to all 30,000 employees nationwide.
“We maintain a corporation-extensive grooming code that consists of standard uniforms for front-line crew contributors and no severe hairstyles inclusive of drastic versions in hair coloration, locks, or in part shaven heads,” Parker stated according to electronic mail reportedly attained by Star-Telegram.
“We do allow braids, and we additionally apprehend that some crew individuals might also request resorts to our grooming code due to spiritual, cultural or medical reasons,” Parker stated. “We paintings with the one’s crew contributors on a case-by way of-case foundation to deal with his or her wishes.”
