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A white elementary school librarian who cut off a biracial student’s hair is going to keep her job, despite push back from parents and the community. The Michigan school district leaders said a third-party investigation into the March incident found that racial bias was not a factor in the librarian’s actions.
“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 (July 2). “As your board, we have made every effort to address this matter with the seriousness and care it deserves and with the transparency our community expects.”
The librarian is accused of cutting off seven-year-old Jurnee Hoffmeyer’s hair two days after another student had cut off one side of the child’s hair on the bus using scissors taken from the classroom.
“It’s clear from the third-party investigation and the district’s own internal investigation that MPPS employees had good intentions when performing the haircut,” school officials added.
“Regardless, their decisions and actions are unacceptable and show a major lack of judgment. The employees involved have acknowledged their wrong actions and apologized.”
Jurnee’s father, Jimmy Hoffmeyer, told The Associated Press officials never talked to him while conducting the investigation.
“Who did they talk to?” Hoffmeyer asked after the board’s statement was released. “Did they really do an investigation?” Following the incident, Hoffmeyer pulled Jurnee from the school.
The librarian is set to retain her job but has reportedly been placed on a “last chance” agreement which will likely lead to termination if any other violations occur in the future.
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