A hairy situation

Corrections officers fight punishments for hairstyles, claim racism

Friday, Jul 06, 2007 - 12:08 AM 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAYNESVILLE When she served in the Army, Donna Tate-Allison's colleagues called her sergeant.
When she worked in communications at the White House, Bill Clinton called her ma'am.
And during her first 18 months working at the Haynesville Correctional Center, everyone called her officer.
But recently, officials at the prison about 60 miles southeast of Fredericksburg branded the 46-year-old with a nickname she never bargained for: "extreme."
She was fired in May for violating the state Department of Corrections' grooming policy, which forbids "extreme, eccentric or trendy haircuts." Since then, the governor's office has gotten involved in the matter.
Tate-Allison said Haynesville Warden Daniel T. Mahon told her that her short dreadlocks, which she pins tightly to her head underneath a hat, were not allowed.
"I said, 'Is my hair a threat to the inmates? Is it a threat to the facility? If so, I'll cut it,'" Tate-Allison said. "He said, 'No, your hair is not a threat. It's extreme, and I'm not going to have it in my facility.'"
Tate-Allison and fellow corrections officer Juanita Hudson, both African-Americans, said they felt they were being discriminated against.
Hudson, who wears her hair in short braids against her scalp, said she was told in April that cornrows, dreadlocks and braids would not be allowed.
"Everything that was read off was African-American hairstyles," said Hudson, 43.
When she asked for a copy of the rule prohibiting those styles, she was told it didn't exist.
So on May 2, she filed a grievance, which is still pending.
"These people are not living in 2007," Hudson said. "I will put up with nepotism. I will put up with favoritism. But I'm not putting up with racism, and that's all it is."
Mahon's secretary referred calls to Larry Traylor, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Corrections. Traylor said his office could not comment on personnel issues.
"However, as we have indicated to those involved, we are currently reviewing our entire employee grooming policy," he said in an e-mailed statement.
. . .
Both women had worked at the Haynesville Correctional Center for about 18 months -- much of that time with their hair in dreads or braids -- before any trouble started.
In April, Hudson was told her braids had to go. She thought as long as her grievance was pending, she could keep her hairstyle. But after officials suspended her for two days in May -- only a day after giving her a favorable performance review -- she took her braids out.
Tate-Allison was also told her dreadlocks violated the policy. She said she told Mahon that if she cut her hair short, she would be left with "parts and sections," violating the department's ban on "trendy" hairstyles. And if she shaved her head bald, it would be considered extreme.
She offered to wear a wig instead, but she said Mahon balked at that suggestion.
"He said, 'That defeats the purpose,'" she said.
At Mahon's request, she said, she brought in a letter from her pastor outlining the cultural and religious significance of her hairstyle. She said she believes that Jesus died with dreadlocks and she wants to emulate him.
But Mahon was unmoved, she said. She was fired May 16.
Convinced that her hair didn't violate the correction department's policy, she contacted the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Richmond.
A week later, she and Hudson joined King Salim Khalfani, executive director of the Virginia NAACP, on the steps of the General Assembly building for a news conference. Khalfani said he had already complained to the governor's office.
"This guy did that down in the Northern Neck because he thought he could get away with it," Khalfani said recently. "But we had some brave people who challenged it. We contend she never violated the policy."
At the Northern Neck Regional Jail, Superintendent Jeff Frazier said cornrows and dreadlocks are OK, as long as they're pinned up.
The same rules apply at the Rappahannock Regional Jail, said Superintendent Joe Higgs, whose main concern is that hairstyles don't pose a safety hazard.
"If an inmate can reach up and grab something and hurt you, then that inmate has an advantage," Higgs said.
Though the department's policy specifically bans unnatural hair dyes, like fluorescent or neon colors, it doesn't define "extreme, eccentric or trendy."
"There's a lot of interpretation left to the superintendent," Higgs said. "To try and tighten it up or make it more rigid only makes more problems for yourself."
. . .
On June 13, Tate-Allison received an e-mail from Clyde Cristman, deputy secretary of public safety, saying the corrections department had decided to reinstate her with back pay while it reviewed the grooming policy at the governor's request.
But when she reported for work, she said she was told she would be in a nonuniformed position at a local probation office instead of a corrections officer.
She declined the position and instead will begin working with youths at a group home in Warsaw next month. But she still wants an apology from the department.
Tate-Allison said she worked for the federal government, in the Army and as a civilian for about 20 years, and her hair was never a problem.
Hudson, meanwhile, rebraided her hair and has been told she can keep it that way until her grievance is final.
"I'm not asking for a suitcase," Tate-Allison said. "I'm challenging the policy to get it clear and consistent for state agencies."

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, RICHMOND COUNTY BRANCH &

VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE

NAACP
NEWS CONFERENCE
The Northumberland Branch and Virginia State Conference NAACP will hold a news conference on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at the Virginia General Assembly building on Capitol Square in 3rd Floor Conference Room East. The news conference will highlight the Department of Corrections disparate treatment of African American employees in relation to hairstyles. Specifically, braided hair in particular has been banned at Haynesville Correctional Center.
Employees have been told that their hairstyles are “extreme, and trendy” and therefore against regulations. Research shows that African people have worn braided hair for “thousands” of years. Punitive action has been taken against employees including terminations and suspensions. Some affected employees will be present. 
The news conference will take place on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. at the Virginia General Assembly Building, 3rd Floor Conference East. For more information contact the State Office at (804) 321-5678.
RICHMOND & NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY BRANCHES & THE VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE NAACP

NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY,

MAY 22, 2007

The NAACP held a news conference today in the Virginia General Assembly Building concerning the plight of State employees working at the Haynesville Correctional Center. African American employees have been told by the Warden that braids, twists, dreadlocks and cornrows are banned. Employees were told to change their hair, shave their heads or comply with the “Warden’s rules.” 
Some employees’ claimed religious exemptions or that their hairstyles were in compliance with the Operating Procedure Manual. Hairstyles that are prohibited are “extreme or trendy styles.” One employee, Donna Allison has been terminated. Another, Juanita Hudson is grieving but has been banned from the facility until her hair is changed. There are other affected employees who are afraid of termination and have complied with the ruling.
In 2007, we have braids being prohibited when the policy does not call for it. These ladies told their stories today on Capitol Square along with the NAACP representatives who have called on Secretary of Public Safety, John Marshall to intervene. If he does not take action, Governor Timothy Kaine will be requested to intervene. This Warden’s ruling/interpretation of trendy or extreme hairstyles has a disparate impact upon African American employees. Ms. Allison has been terminated unjustly. Ms. Hudson may be soon to follow. 
African people have worn braids for thousands of years. Braids are not trendy or extreme. If you would like to see their hair, they may be reached at the following telephone numbers: Ms. Hudson (804) 529-7979 and Ms. Allison (804) 333-3202.  The Virginia State Conference President and Executive Director have a quarterly meeting scheduled with Governor Kaine on Wednesday.
Oliver W. Hill and others founded the VirginiaState Conference NAACP in 1935 to coordinate the activities of the local units and to work on issues in State government and statewide.

 

VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE NAACP

“An Apology for Slavery”

NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE

THE VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE NAACP, IN TANDEM WITH IT’S AMELIA CO. BRANCH, HANOVER BRANCH, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS ARE APPALLED BUT NOT SURPRISED BY THE COMMENTS OF DELGATE FRANK HARGROVE. HE FEELS THAT “BLACK CITIZENS SHOULD GET OVER IT,” ( SLAVERY). IT APPEARS THAT VIRGINIA POLITICIANS HAVE ISSUES WITH MANY OF ITS CITIZENS. GEORGE ALLEN, VIRGIL GOODE AND NOW FRANK HARGROVE. WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2007 AT 9:00 A.M. AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN THE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM.
THE NAACP AND OTHERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SJR 332 AND SJR 333. RECENTLY, DELEGATE FRANK HARGROVE MADE SOME DISPARAGING REMARKS CONCERNING AFRICANS AND SLAVERY. WE WILL ADDRESS HIS COMMENTS AS WELL.
JOIN US ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2007 AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING IN THE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM.

 

Wage hike a crumb...

Free Press staff, wire reports
"It's a start."
That's how Salim Khalfani, executive director of the Virginia State NAACP, characterizes the 70-cent jump in the hourly minimum wage that took effect this week.
"I just wish they could move up faster instead of taking three years to get above $7 an hour," he said, in noting it took federal action to ensure a raise for the lowest-paid Virginians after the commonwealth rejected any change in its minimum wage.
Winning the increase "took a lot of hard work and advocacy and lobby­ing," he said. "I guess they felt like they had to throw a crumb to the poor because so much has been done for the rich.
Mr. Khalfani said no one should be surprised that it took about 10 years to win what he described as a "small pay hike" for the poorest paid workers in America. "We can't buy Congress or the General Assembly like payday lenders and their ilk. We have to do it by votes, by begging, by advocacy, by threatening. It takes so much longer for the people's needs to be addressed than corporate needs."
The Virginia Poverty Law Center, which advocates for the poor, also offered only muted applause for the wage increase.
"The increase from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour does help families," said Ty Jones, an attorney with the Richmond· based group. "But it will not put them above the federal poverty level."
For example, she said, the government says a family of three needs to make at least $17,171 a year to be considered out of poverty. A working mother with two children would only make $12,169 before taxes for 52 weeks of work under the new minimum wage, though more than the $10,712 annual wage generated by $5.15 an hour.
Their comments echoed those of many lawmakers and other advocates for low-wage workers.
About 1. 7 million people who made $5.15 an hour or less in 2006 will be affected, according to the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Virginia, about 51,000 hourly workers are expected to see small, but important increases in their next paychecks.
"The reality for a minimum-wage worker is that every penny makes a difference between putting food on the table and paying for electricity or buying clothes for their children," said Beth Shulman, former vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
"Saying that, it's clear going up to $5.85 is not enough," said Ms. Shulman, author of "The Betrayal of Work: How Low-Wage Jobs Fail 30 Million Americans."
Minimum-wage workers will not have to stay at $5.85 an hour for long. The minimum wage will rise another 70 cents an hour to $6.55 in July 2008 and go up another 70 cents to $7.25 an hour in July 2009. The 2009 wage would generate slightly more $15,000 yearly.
Poverty and the minimum wage are becoming a major issues in the Democratic presidential race, notably for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
Mr. Edwards, who said he wants to eliminate poverty within a generation, favors raising the minimum wage to $9.50 ail hour. Sen. Obama is advocating a "living wage" that would go up as inflation rises.
At least 24 states and the District of Columbia already have minimum wages higher than the federal one.
Employers who pay low-wage workers say increasing the minimum wage only will hurt.
Others say most employers are already paying more than minimum wage to attract workers.
A PNC Economic Outlook survey done in April showed three out of four small- and middle-market business owners said raising the minimum wage would have little or no impact on their businesses. "In a tighter labor market, they already raised wages to be competitive," said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist for PNC Financial Services Group

New study finds disparity in VA’s criminal justice system

By Sylvina Poole Staff Writer A new study found wide disparities in Virginia's criminal justice system regarding African Americans. The report, authored by the Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, revealed that Blacks under criminal supervision is overwhelmingly disproportionate in the state as compared to their white counterparts. The study also looked into racial profiling and sentencing procedures. African Americans make up 20 percent of the state population and account for over half of felony arrests. On a national scale, African Americans account for 13 percent of the population, but nearly 51 percent of its prison population. "This is the greatest prison in the world," said King Salim Khalfani, executive director for the Virginia NAACP. "It is straight up criminal what the prosecutors and the police are doing when they target the Black community." For the past 3 years, he said, "our local branches have written police departments requesting statistics on arrests in the Black community and the results were so overwhelmingly lopsided as it relates to the police and the Black community." The Advisory Commission had began its probe into racial bias and the state law enforcement in response to concerns over the conviction of pro basketball star Allen Iverson in 1993 for his involvement in a fight in a Newport News bowling alley. The commission's original purpose for the investigation came about due to the high racial. tension resulting from the Iverson case because the crime involved a young Black man and his accusers were white. Iverson's supporters felt the sentencing was unfairly handed down which is reflective of the type of racism that continues to plague the South throughout history. The commission's finding clearly reflects the continuous racial problems in the Commonwealth's legal system.