Some people were all on my case about something I wrote for Slog, The Stranger‘s blog, concerning a Chinese girl found wandering the streets of Vancouver, BC, two weeks ago with a blond doll. I was thought cold for taking too much notice of the racial difference between the girl and her doll. But in my world, race is still a real and hard fact. It is not something that I have a theoretical or intellectual distance from. It is immediate. It is there all of the time.
For example, just last week, my daughter—who is 8 and happens to be the only brown person in her Accelerated Progress Program class at Thurgood Marshall Elementary—was ordered out of the classroom because her teacher did not like the smell of her hair. The teacher complained that my racially different daughter’s hair (or something—a product—in the hair) was making her sick, and then the teacher made her leave the classroom. My daughter was aware of the racial nature of this expulsion not only because she was made to sit in a classroom that had more black students in it (the implication being that this is where she really belongs, in the lower class with the other black students), but because her teacher, she informed me, owns a dog. Meaning, a dog’s hair gives the teacher less problems than my daughter’s human but curly hair. Most white people do not have to deal with shit like this. Shit that if not checked and confronted will have permanent consequences for the child.
Over the weekend, KIRO-TV ran a story on its evening newscast about the situation. The news segment showed the hair product that my daughter used, Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion, and brief interviews with her mother and lawyer. The lawyer smelled the hair product and claimed it was harmless; her mother expressed distress about the whole situation. The story wrapped up with a reporter standing outside of my daughter’s school in the Central District, explaining that he could not get a response from the teacher or the school’s principal because the school was closed for the long weekend. That was all you learned from the KIRO story.
What was significantly missing from this report is that my daughter is black American (the only black student in that teacher’s class) and the teacher who forced her out of the classroom is white American. The reason why this racial dimension was not exposed or addressed in the KIRO report is understandable: My daughter and her teacher were not interviewed. But my wife was interviewed—and she is white. So it follows that viewers would assume that her daughter is also white. But if the public had seen that the little girl has brown skin and curly hair, and her teacher has white skin and straight hair, then it would have been impossible to exclude race from this story.
If a white teacher—a person who is supposed to have a certain amount of education and knowledge of American history, and who teaches at a school named after the man who successfully argued before the court in Brown v. Board of Education for equal opportunities for racial minorities in public schools and went on to become the first African-American Supreme Court justice—removes a black student from a predominantly white class because of her hair, it is almost impossible not read the action as either racist or expressive of racial insensitivity, which amounts to the same thing for someone in that teacher’s position.
When we, her parents, were later informed of this incident, we also learned that once my daughter was removed from the class, the teacher felt much better. We were also told that the teacher had experienced something like a fainting spell because of our daughter’s hair. Feeling the seriousness of this situation, we decided not to send our daughter to school until the teacher had medical proof that our daughter’s hair or something in her hair was to blame for the nausea. (The last thing you want to happen to your daughter is for a teacher to faint or vomit at the mere sight of her.)
Days passed and the school took no action. This unresponsiveness left us with no other choice than to turn to a lawyer. The whole thing is a mess. Getting entangled in a racial dilemma is something most black parents do not want for their children. It’s just not worth the trouble. Then again, like I said, if not checked and confronted, the incident will have permanent consequences for my child.
So, yes, I have a very good reason to be sensitive to the image of a Chinese girl carrying a blond doll. Not to have that kind of sensitivity would in my case be a form of parental neglect.
Seattle Public Schools declined an interview request from Charles Mudede because he is the father of the student in question, but a school-district spokesperson agreed to be interviewed by The Stranger‘s news editor, Dominic Holden, just as this issue was going to press. Click here to read their response. 
I can’t believe the initial article so blatantly omitted the fact that they where asked specifically to not let their child wear anything scented to class. Doesn’t lend much credence to Mr. Mudede’s argument.
Some how I feel knowing this fact the teacher’s version of event would be a lot different than Charles’. Pretty poor journalism in my opinion.
Here’s a possible way for you to find out if the teacher’s actions really were racially motivated:
If the school or district arranges a meeting between the teacher and you and your daughter, have your daughter wash her hair with the most neutral, unscented shampoo and conditioner available, just in preparation for that meeting. Then, at the meeting, claim that your daughter is still using the same product as before and ask the teacher to explain what is so offensive about it. If it’s really just the unfamiliar smell of melanin that offends her, this test should make it very obvious.
I have a caregiver who is from Somalia – some of the hair products are highly fragranced. I have severe asthma and have a violent action to them. “Organic” does not really mean healthy for you or your child. The ingredients in this product include:
Water – Aqua, Coconut Oil – Cocos Nucifera, Sorbitol, Trimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol , Petrolatum, Cyclomethicone, Peanut Oil – Arachi Hypogaea , Castor Oil – Ricinus Communis, Cetyl Esters, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Olive Oil – Olea Europaea, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Carbomer , Cetearyl Alcohol , Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, PEG-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fragrance – Parfum , Benzyl Alcohol , Benzyl Salicylate , Geraniol, Hexylcinnamicaldehyde, Lillial, D’Limonene, Linalool, Lyral, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, BHT , Blue No. 1 – CI 42090, Yellow No. 5 – CI 19140
Skin Deep is a good source to check the toxicity of hair products.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product…
Sometimes it isn’t racism.
I have a caregiver who is from Somalia – some of the hair products are highly fragranced. I have severe asthma and have a violent reaction to them. I mean VIOLENT life threatening asthma attack.
“Organic” does not really mean healthy for you or your child. You have to read the ingredients and it’s best to avoid products that include “fragrance” since it usually means ingredients they want to keep secret. CNN is doing a special report on Toxic America. Of the 80,000 chemicals commonly used only 200 have been tested.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/31/che…
The ingredients in this product include:
Water – Aqua, Coconut Oil – Cocos Nucifera, Sorbitol, Trimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol , Petrolatum, Cyclomethicone, Peanut Oil – Arachi Hypogaea , Castor Oil – Ricinus Communis, Cetyl Esters, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Olive Oil – Olea Europaea, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Carbomer , Cetearyl Alcohol , Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, PEG-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fragrance – Parfum , Benzyl Alcohol , Benzyl Salicylate , Geraniol, Hexylcinnamicaldehyde, Lillial, D’Limonene, Linalool, Lyral, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, BHT , Blue No. 1 – CI 42090, Yellow No. 5 – CI 19140
This is a HIGHLY TOXIC product.
Skin Deep is a good source to check the toxicity of hair products.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product…
Sometimes it isn’t racism.
Holy crap do you come out the clown here, Charles.
Your child’s teacher makes a special request of the students to take into account her sensitivities (which, for some reason you don’t believe to be real). You react by screaming “racist” and using your position as a minor journalist to make this a public matter.
This will back-fire and I hope, after reading you here, that it does so spectacularly.
You have people of colour in here telling you that even they find themselves sensitive to that product, yet you continue to deny that that’s possible and the only possible explanation is racism.
Never noticed you before the barbie thing. Now I find you funny. Keep entertaining us please, especially when you get counter-sued.
The allergies excuse is ridiculous as the school year has been on for quite sometime and the teacher has been fine all these months.
Mr.Muede, the incident that happened to your child is one that comes pretty close to what I had to deal with as the only black kid in a predominately (at that time)Caucasian classroom, in the late 1970’s(no hair product issues, but I was (by default) the Black culture representative to my teachers and classmates) . Even if the teacher had the reaction to your daughter’s hair products(and I really don’t like the or use Organic Root Stimulator products because of all the chemical additives),she was extremely inappropriate and humiliated your child in front of her peers. I hope that your daughter gets a public apology from that teacher for her behavior, and maybe she shouldn’t be teaching Advanced anything since she isn’t that advanced in her character.
A couple of things have happened here.
1) Because of the rush to judgement and the failure to present all the facts, I will never again look at anything with this man’s name as the author without questioning it’s honesty. Hyperbole is not journalism.
2) It’s odd that the true racism is ignored. Why is it that the brown and black people always get the smallpox blankets, the lead paint buildings or the toxic products? You can bet your sweet ass that none of that poison is in conditioner for little white girls.
B-Ro (#305):
That is not a case of white priveledge or invisible racism. If you’re allowed to eat on the bus because you’re white, that’s overt racism. White priveledge has to do with the fact that white neighborhoods generally have deeper financial roots. What racists like coolhand fail to recognize is the pervasive depressive effects slavery and the “Reconstruction” produced. It was almost 100 years after the Civil War before Jim Crow was outlawed and that wasn’t that long ago. The institutionalized effects of racism are real, but I don’t think they’re at play in this case.
@116-Unless you are of African descent, you have no idea of the limited availability of hair products that are appropriate for the hair texture that many African-Americans and people of multi-ethnic backgrounds have. This availability decreases drastically when the desired products are to be both organic and scent-free. Furthermore, from Garnier Frutis to Herbal Essence to Aveda to Burt’s Bees, the vast majority of the hair products in this country have strong fragances-particularly to those who do not use said product.
@Charles: You should be angry. Educators above all others should know how sensitive young children are, and to throw a child out of a classroom when no misbehavior was invovled is highly inappropriate regardless of race, color, or creed.
However, Charles, I hope you and your wife has taken your little girl to buy some Carol’s Daughter or Design Essentials products. They are much better quality products and smell significantly better. My sister and I unfortunately went through something similar as young girls and found these products actually worked better in our hair while having a much more palatable smell.
If this teacher did have some sort of chemical allergy (doubtful, but let’s play what if), then what explains her not having any reaction until the end of school and apparently not having any reaction to the multiple products used by other students and school staff members who are not in her class, but attend the school? Does she have this reaction to GArnier Fructis? Peach and strawberry shampoo? Deodorant? Body powder? As a teacher, at THURGOOD MARSHALL school no less, she is swimming in beauty products, and janitorial products on a daily basis and she had to pinpoint this child? No dice. She doesn’t deserve the public trust to be influencing children. Maybe she can find a job teaching online where her “sensitivity” isn’t allowed to cut the knees out from under innocent impressionable children.
NSpirit:
Why is it “doubtful” the teacher has a chemical allergy? Also, we have reports that there are other factors involved which probably increased her sensitivity.
I don’t have much doubt that the teacher had a severe reaction to *something*. I don’t even think it’s impossible that it was an ingredient in the hair product. But how on earth could she TELL what she was reacting to? That’s the weak link, as far as I am concerned.
I am so glad to be done with SPS! Our children are out. We enrolled our daughter at Seattle Girls School because the middle schools in Seattle are atrocious, and she’s a thriving college student now. We just gave our son permission to drop out of his ridiculously bad high school, and he’s now in college a year early. Both of our kids chose to finish their high school careers at Seattle Central Community College – a stellar institution.
Mr. Mudede, please consider Seattle Girls School for your daughter. It is an amazing place. And they do have scholarships.
Yes, Harry Knuckles, there WERE other factors, like embalmed chickens, Febreeze, and I’d imagine, an entire class of kids using scented products at home-IS there any such thing as unscented toothpaste, for example?
The stories I’ve heard involve the little girl being clearly and obviously singled out as the SOLE cause of this teacher’s reaction. I side with poster “janedeau”. Unless the teacher went around sniffing each child up close-she COULDN’T know.
And there’s the problem. If I were an 8 -year-old put in that position as the sole black child, I’d be pretty upset too. Perception is a mighty powerful thing.
My understanding is that the student shouldn’t have been pulled out of class.
I don’t know about the other substances, but apparently she wasn’t allergic to them. Also, i imagine she was able to tell where it came from through proximity, but I couldn’t honestly say for sure.
I know this teacher. She has a detailed history of health issues. For me the charges of racism seem ridiculous considering the context. This is my single point of contention apart from the fact that a bunch of people like to think they have a clue about a person they know next to nothing about; all because a dad rightfully acted protective of his daughter in what I believe was the wrong way to go about it. The only thing his article served, again in my opinion, was to bully a teacher into finishing out her year on sick leave.
Repeated from the comments thread on http://newlynatural.com/blog/2010/06/lit…
“It’s a complex story, and I get the impression that those involved on all sides ended up doing some things right and some things wrong. I have a problem with people trying to find a definite villain — I think many people would be happy if they could say “This was done by someone who is much dumber and/or more villainous than I am; I could never have contributed to any such situation,” when the reality is most of us probably have, one way or another. We’ve all been too self-centered to understand a different person’s point of view; we’ve all been too angry to take in relevant factual information; we’ve all been culturally and racially insensitive; we’ve all been afraid to communicate openly for fear of being blamed or shamed; we’ve all been ignorant about what it’s like living with a particular disability … I could go on and on.”
Harry Knuckles @ 315 Once again lets set the record straight, I am NOT A RACIST! I am a REALIST! All you want to do is make excuses for the black beast. They have been given every opportunity and hand out /up that the federal government could come up with, and still they fail miserably. The reason why they are in the shape they are in is their own doing. Instead of ignoring the truth, do some research into how the black race is racist and violent against the white race. I find it unfathomable in many parts of the European Union and North America, you can be arrested , tried, face serious fines and even long prison terms for uttering the word nigger yet there are lyrics like this: We’re having thoughts of overthrowing the government…….the brothers and sisters threw their fists in the air…..it’s open season on you crackers, you know; the morgue will be full of Caucasian John Doe’s …….I make the Riot shit look like a fairy tale…. Oh my god , Allah, have mercy; I’m killing them devils cause they ‘re not worthy to walk the earth with the original black man; they must be forgetting; it’s time for Armageddon , and I won’t rest till they are all dead. An excerpt from Going Bananas: Da Lench Mob, Planet of da Apes, 1994, Priority Records, Thorn EMI; now called The EMI Group, The United Kingdom. Not good enough for you how about a little more, this is an excerpt of some rap music written by some of your favorite rap artists and published by Multinational Billion dollar conglomerates like, Time Warner of the United States. Time Warner is the parent company of America on Line and if you are a member you know the quickest way to get banned is to disparage AOL’s highly protected class of pet niggers. Kill the white people; we gonna make them hurt; kill the white people; but buy my record first; ha, ha, ha; kill the white people. Apache, Apache Ain’t Shit, 1993, Tommy Boy Music, Time Warner U.S.A. One more to see if you get the point, These devils make me sick; I love to fill them full of holes; kill them all in the day time, broad motherfucking daylight; 12 o’clock, grab the glock; why wait for night. Sweating Bullets; Brand Nubian, Everything is Everything, 1994, Elektra Entertainment, Warner Communications, Time Warner, U.S.A. There are many more examples, check it out on your own. Any white man, who was to write such lyrics about overthrowing the government and killing black people, would be under investigation by authorities and brought in for questioning, if not charged and imprisoned. What happens to the black rapper, a multimillion dollar contract and fame. Wake Up!!
Luke, you’re a racist because you say black people are inferior. Your bias is based on race: that’s the definition of racism. Saying you’re a realist is a clever tag-line, but you’re still a racist by definition.
The only thing I’ve heard you say that has any validity I am aware of is the standardized test scores of African Americans is on average lower than whites. That is not proof of a lack of ability, only of where the money tends to be and how the community values Formal Education. When you don’t expect the education system to help you, you won’t try as hard to do well in that system. This is the kind of thing which came about from the racism which was and still is so abundant in this otherwise great country.
There are plenty of people who fall into the victim mentality.
Regardless of the racial issue–which, I believe you have a very strong case for, this was VERY unprofessional behavior for a teacher! You do not simply remove a child from a class because they have something that smells noxious to you, personally. Children have all kinds of odors. I have had children rip “the big one” in class, use perfumed products when they shouldn’t have, kids eat different kinds of foods, forget to bathe, etc., and you don’t send the kid out of the room for that stuff–unless they’ve done something directly against school policy!
Teachers are expected, as professionals, to manage their illnesses and discomforts in PROFESSIONAL ways. Teachers often have to go to school ill–because they have children they are responsible for. Teachers can have allergic reactions, migraines, car accidents, sudden family emergencies, you name it, and STILL have to handle these things professionally. This teacher violated that professionalism–and did it in such an irresponsible way that there is no reason these parents should NOT be up in arms. Anyone who thinks differently does NOT know the profession. The Seattle School District isn’t responding–because they are obviously doing everything they can to cover their asses. Period. End of story. Kudos to dad. You two have a case and a responsibility to social justice. Keep fighting. We need more racially diverse students in advanced courses and they all need to know that when they get there they will be treated with dignity.
Harry Knuckles @235 I ‘am sorry to inform you that it is not a tag line it is the truth, the truth will set you free but at first it hurts. I regret that you do not seem to be willing to do any research on the intelligence issue; you say it’s a matter of money because they are under privileged, yeah ok. I do believe from all evidence considered from all sources, such as Africa the place of origin for the black people in America, that civilization has not evolved any in thousands of years except where influenced by Europeans; they are inferior in almost every aspect of life and civilization. You refuse to open your eyes because of the collective guilt that has been misplaced on the white people by blacks and other liberal whites. Your action only enables them and emboldens them to ask for more undeserved handouts. I also have noticed that you do not comment on the black hatred towards the Whiteman in the rap music and the unreported hate crimes against the white man committed by the blacks, and if you bother to do the math you will see that on a per capita basis that the black on white crimes significantly outnumber the white on black crimes. I ‘am sorry to say that you have been successfully brain washed by the liberal controlled media, and until it happens to you, and it will, you will be set in your misguided ways. However when you discover the truth, I would be glad to welcome you to our growing brotherhood with love and friendship. In conclusion, I do have a certain amount of respect for you as you have refrained for the most part in calling names and You try to make valid points, however you are unwilling to look at any other points or evidence that supports the fact that the black race is inferior and are far more violent with the white man and themselves, rape, theft, and murder are crimes not culture. I think because in your mind that if you acknowledge the truth then you will have to label yourself as a racist, because anything else is a tag. I digress I do have a certain amount of respect for you but unfortunately we are going to have to agree to disagree on this matter.
Let me provide you with some education about a condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. This is NOT about racism. This is about a teacher who suffers from a condition known as chemical sensitivity as do at least 6% of the public according to research studies that have been done since 1993. It is about a product that contains ingredients that make her ill – not about a child. The teacher would have done the same thing regardless of the ethnicity of the child.
This product is NOT “organic” as advertised. That is just marketing hype. The label shows it has the following ingredients: Aqua (Water) , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Sorbitol , Petrolatum , Cyclopentasiloxane , Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil (Safflower) , Ricinus Communis Seed Oil (Castor) , Cetyl Esters , Cetearyl Alcohol , Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate , Stearic Acid , Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive) , PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate , Dimethicone , Glyceryl Glycol , Triethanolamine , Carbomer , Disodium EDTA , BHT , Fragrance , Benzyl Alcohol , Benzyl Salicylate , Geraniol , Hexyl Cinnamal , Lilial , D-Limonene , Linalool , Lyral Methyl Ionone , CI 42090 (Blue #1) , CI 19140 (Yellow #5).
Following are the principle chemicals found in scented products and their affect on humans:
ACETONE (in: cologne, dishwashing liquid and detergent, nail enamel remover) – On EPA, RCRA, CERCLA Hazardous Waste lists. “Inhalation can cause dryness of the mouth and throat; dizziness, nausea, incoordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, and, in severe exposures, coma.” “Acts primarily as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.”
BENZALDEHYDE (in: perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, Vaseline lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, dishwasher detergent) – Narcotic. Sensitizer. “Local anesthetic, CNS depressant”… “irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs, and GI tract causing nausea and abdominal pain.” “May cause kidney damage.” “Do not use with contact lenses.”
BENZYL ACETATE (in: perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave, deodorants) – Carcinogenic (linked to pancreatic cancer); “From vapors: irritating to eyes and respiratory passages, exciting cough.” “In mice: hyperaemia of the lungs.” “Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects.” “Do not flush to sewer.”
BENZYL ALCOHOL (in: perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel remover, air freshener, laundry bleach and detergent, Vaseline lotion, deodorants, fabric softener) – “irritating to the upper respiratory tract” … “headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, CNS depression, and death in severe cases due to respiratory failure.”
CAMPHOR (in: perfume, shaving cream, nail enamel, fabric softener, dishwasher detergent, nail color, stickup air freshener) -“local irritant and CNS stimulant” …”readily absorbed through body tissues” …”irritation of eyes, nose and throat” …”dizziness, confusion, nausea, twitching muscles and convulsions” “Avoid inhalation of vapors.”
ETHANOL (in: perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, laundry detergent, shaving cream, soap, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish remover)-On EPA Hazardous Waste list; symptoms: “…fatigue; irritating to eyes and upper respiratory tract even in low concentrations…” “Inhalation of ethanol vapors can have effects similar to those characteristic of ingestion. These include an initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision, ataxia, stupor…” Causes CNS disorder.
ETHYL ACETATE (in: after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid) -Narcotic. On EPA Hazardous Waste list; “…irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract” …”may cause headache and narcosis (stupor)” …”defatting effect on skin and may cause drying and cracking” …”may cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys” “Wash thoroughly after handling.”
LIMONENE (in: perfume, cologne, disinfectant spray, bar soap, shaving cream, deodorants, nail color and remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid, air fresheners, after shave, bleach, paint and varnish remover) – Carcinogenic. “Prevent its contact with skin or eyes because it is an irritant and sensitizer.” “Always wash thoroughly after using this material and before eating, drinking, …applying cosmetics. Do not inhale limonene vapor.”
LINALOOL (in: perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, hairspray, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, bleach powder, fabric softener, shaving cream, after shave, solid deodorant) – Narcotic . …”respiratory disturbances” … “Attracts bees.” “In animal tests: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity and depression … development of respiratory disturbances leading to death.” …”depressed frog-heart activity.” Causes CNS disorder.
METHYLENE CHLORIDE (in: shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish remover) -Banned by the FDA in 1988! No enforcement possible due to trade secret laws protecting chemical fragrance industry. On EPA, RCRA, CERCLA Hazardous Waste lists. “Carcinogenic” … “Absorbed, stored in body fat, it metabolizes to carbon monoxide, reducing oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.” “Headache, giddiness, stupor, irritability, fatigue, tingling in the limbs.” Causes CNS disorder.
a-PINENE (in: bar and liquid soap, cologne, perfume, shaving cream, deodorants, dishwashing liquid, air freshener) – Sensitizer (damaging to the immune system).
g-TERPINENE (in: cologne, perfume, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, air freshener) – “Causes asthma and CNS disorders.”
a-TERPINEOL (in: perfume, cologne, laundry detergent, bleach powder, laundry bleach, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, vaseline lotion, cologne, soap, hairspray, after shave, roll-on deodorant) – …”highly irritating to mucous membranes”… “Aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal edema.” Can also cause “excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination), hypothermia, CNS and respiratory depression, and headache.” “Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact.”
I ask you what responsible parent would expose their 8-year-old child to these things many of which are on the hazardous waste list? This little girl who is just developing an immune system and ability to cope with the environmental toxins is accumulating toxins through her skin – her scalp, the part of her skin that sits closest to her developing brain.
So before you condemn this teacher who is just desperately trying to hold onto her job while trying to avoid the fumes of products used by people, please try to understand that in doing so she may be saving your child, you and many others from the same fate she suffers.
It is hard enough living with this disability without having to constantly trying to prove to others that you are indeed having a reaction that leaves you unable to function. I know because I have lived with this for 22 years and have been forced out of the workplace onto disability because others who feel they have the right to spew fumes of toxic chemicals called “fragrance” everywhere they go.
So empathy and understanding is what this teacher needs – not attacks from people who are uneducated about a disability that 6% of the population suffer from. It could be you one day who is in the situation, so live by the golden rule – you know what that is.
I was a teacher with Chemical Intolerance (aka MCS), too. It is a complex issue to explain to others who seem to be able to efficiently detoxify synthetics. I evetually had to leave teaching because I could not tolerate the pesticides being used in and around the buildings. There is much ignorance on this issue here. After reading most of the posts here (and particularly from parents of children of parents in the class), I do NOT believe this is a race issue. Chemically sensitivity people are a minority, too. It seems the best remediation for ignorance is education. We all have much yet to learn. The wise keep their minds open. There is great wisdom in diversity and it seems some writers here have yet to learn of that lesson.
Seattle learnt nothing from Lord Maurice Clemmons
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24094269/Marty…
Charles Mudede is, without a doubt, the Strangers worst writer. Is it so hard to fathom that maybe your daughter’s hair actually smelled bad? This is the type of extreme reactionary rhetoric that is eroding the credibility of well-intentioned activists such as Sharpton and Shapiro. NOT EVERY ISSUE IS A RACE ISSUE! Just because your daughter has darker skin does not mean that this is a race issue. Mountains out of mole hills.
I see some really dumb comments on this blog, such as “stay away from people”, “go find a job in the woods”, Or “I wouldn’t get a job in a pound if I was allergic to dogs and cats.” That’s like saying if you have to be in a wheel chair stay home. Don’t both us with your need of ramps, elevators, and doors that open automatically for you – just stay home because you are just too much bother for us. Oh, and then there is “just manage your allergies in a professional way.” This is not about not liking certain smells. This is not about simple allergies. This is about ingesting chemicals that are dangerous and when they hit your brain they affect your brain and body in ways you cannot imagine if you aren’t chemically sensitive. It isn’t as simple as saying “don’t use it,” or “stay away from it” because just like second-hand smoke, you are a user even if you don’t use it because these things are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) specifically designed to continually out-gas (spew) their chemicals into the air around you. And they are pervasive in our society that is of the belief that everything from their hair to their carpet must smell of something. Here is a link about Petroleum Products in Perfume – that includes anything that has “fragrance” listed as an ingredient. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacy-malk…
I think you’ve done your daughter an incredibly thoughtless disservice. How does she know this is based on race? Because of the way you’ve raised her? You’re implying that the teacher was not made ill by the product in the girl’s hair. So her motive MUST be racial.
You don’t give enough facts here for us to make an educated judgement. But there are people out there who are very sensitive to chemicals and are made miserable when exposed to them. That a teacher would fake this just to ostracize a little girl is just not believable. More facts, please.
Luke @327: Yes, probably going to have to agree to disagree (Amen for the 1st amendment eh?). It seems clear to me; I could give a fuck about what most people think when it comes to what I believe so your reasoning seems flawed to me on almost every level.
Geneticists argue over whether race even exists because of what they’ve found through the physical sciences. I’m sorry, but you’re using anectdotal evidence to argue against science: science wins, never mind my personal observations fit more with the non-racist view of race dynamics. And if you really want to use standardized tests as the measure, don’t forget to bow down to the Asian population for their superiority. Last I saw they were, on average, better than white scores.
Anyhow, there ya go.
May good always prevail.
First, while obtaining my Masters in a health field and having a background in biochemistry (mother was in medicine so I grew up reading medical texts from a young age) (and more, chemistry of arts so on) I ended up with chemical injury after a building fire and renovations were not done according to various laws/codes (such as exhaust fans). This did not happen overnight but slowly I lost my health and more and more could not be around (now all) man made synthetic products and some natural (all plants have toxins in them our livers have evolved to eliminate them IF healthy)
The various mechanisms involved are extremely complicated, but involve the brain, liver, kidneys, immune system and really all organs. The brain is greatly damaged (think dish soap that dissolves dish grease – your brain is mostly forms of fat and these products are based on toxic petroleum products and damage your brain and nerve endings (and more).
Neurogenic inflammation – that’s when the brain swells upon minute exposures and passing out, vomiting so on incur. In extreme nadir situations, seizures and even light and radiation must be avoided (where I ended up).
These same products (floor strippers, finishers, two part bath epoxy, paints and more) that caused me to end up with multi organ failure, internal bleeding, brain damage and basically vegetative for decades before holistic therapies created improvement to where I can function better, are the same classes of chemicals found in most all common household products. (fabric softeners, “fragrances” plug ins, soaps, deodorizers and on and on) ALL ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC.
Most people are actually in stage one – where you may not notice (ever feel “dizzy” around “perfumes” – banned in France btw only natural oils allowed in that country) That is your brain cells dying and reacting…
When I am around the classes of chemicals I am now sensitized to (any chemical can cause sensitization some cause anesthetization most fit both classes. This is an actual natural phenomenon of the body’s physiology. This is why I ended up “paralyzed” and yes they are the same classes of chemicals doctors use when putting you under for surgery. Do you really want to wear these on a daily basis – remember we all started out where “they didn’t bother us” (they were silently doing their damage however).
Hundreds of thousands here in America are living homeless, in cars, tents with no income (or very little).. up to 40% die and others commit suicide, both from pain of organ failure and sheer isolation often for decades!
This teacher represents a person who is visible and valiantly trying to hang on (as we all did)… most are “invisible” to society and living miserable lives due to this same ignorance of education, jump to conclusions and misunderstanding.
But because it is increasing each year world wide more and more will end up with this or another related to your ongoing exposures.
Even with a doctor’s medical letter (by law) many companies would not provide the msds (material safety data sheet) that would allow me to find out chemical ingredients not listed on the label but under the title of “fragrance” up to 5k “ingredients” and more often in each group (all made from left over oil sludge the companies do not wish to dispose of properly).
On the way “down” I read OSHA publications on trade names, and other chemistry books – amazing any of these products are allowed on the market but yes, these companies are in bed with Congress. (minor in City Government and statistics)
(and all btw tested in the eyes of rabbits with throats cut out so no one can hear them scream, or down the throats of dogs, draize eye rabbit and 50/50 – my research paper for my psychology degree… do you really want to support a billion dollar “business” that tortures those “outside our realm of consideration” because YOU want to wear a highly damaging toxic product? (all have been tested zillions of times prior – the equipment and other grants are funded by the companies that make these toxic products and institutions do not wish to loose these vast sums – often taxpayers, of money so it keeps going) and skin graft and computer models can now be used).
This paradigm will eventually end in disaster as it already is – no cure for “cancer” MS or many other man made ills created by these products and horrible food sources (another topic)
It is time for each of us to examine our use (well with MCS not an issue any longer) of these toxic products that are dumped down the toilet into our oceans, into our air, and on our person and create a nightmare for innocent animals that someone decided will provide “safety” for us…. I would never use a product that causes such pain that the rabbits in their attempt to escape their neck braces often break their necks.
Maybe dear father – you can educate yourself and then eliminate these products for your daughter – telling her and teaching her something of REAL value. I doubt she felt singled out until you taught her that. (and welcome to the real world – as a kid I was bullied and my gay brother (twin was beaten half to death almost every day he existed)
You can tell her it had NOTHING to do with her, but that her teacher was “allergic” to something she was wearing on her person. A big difference don’t you think.
Now, like many with chemical injury (MCS is much misleading) I live in a bubble and after years of bed with horrific symptoms go out twice a week midday if able.
That is to a local “fellowship” of people mostly from Africa (yes Africa not African Americans) and after I explained to them that the “perfume” and hair care products made it so I had to sit far away (and not join in the group prayer so on) while they do not really understand the science they would NEVER think of me – the only Finnish American as a racist!
This degradation of multi organs which causes life threatening reactions (and unfortunately this teacher will probably get sicker and sicker as most do until she is completely disabled because of the lack of understanding – the pharmaceuticals make most of these toxic products and are targeting people who have gotten sick by them – think Bayer Aspirin Bayer Pesticides and then do some real research).
Not all disabilities are obvious… this teacher was trying to hang on to life as she knows it – as an abyss most of you do not realize is as bad as cancer, brain tumors or any other life threatening disease is.
Been there done that – it is a horrific condition to have and more horrific in that people have put cigarettes out in my face, told me I was horrible for needing to sit in the disability section of Amtrak (supposed to be protected by laws) and a Canadian woman wanted it for her children (whispering into my ear how horrible a person I was).
This teacher is brave – the father is the real racist (sees it everywhere he goes – look in the mirror) and maybe he will do some real soul searching and read up on this condition and how it impacts her life (teacher) and his child’s.
These chemicals bio accumulate by the way – it never goes away and there is no cure. Poisons poison – either one major impact or slowly over time which is worse as the body can not recover and all must be avoided.
MCSers are canaries in our modern world’s cave – beware what you label it – it is not racism.
Harry Knuckles @ 334 Yes you are right science does prevail over ideas, maybe you should check out this site. http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/04… , and get back to me about your geneticist. Yes you are correct about the Asian test results; I have never stated their lack of intelligence. I also have never said anything about anybody bowing down to another, I have said we need to live separate in our own communities for the safety of all. Multiculturalism is a hoax, which has been imposed on western civilization by the liberal elitists. Multiculturalism drags the western civilization down to the lowest common denominator, because it is far easier to pull down a great society than it is to raise the third world up to our expectations. I also agree good will always prevail, so will the truth. I am confident that when the people wake up to the lies they have been told by their government and the liberal controlled media there will be a revolution the likes they have not been seen since the American Revolution. I sincerely wish the best for you and hope that you will awake from the lies before it is too late, I feel that you are a good man that is doing what he believes is right, I can respect that.
This hair product was not Afro Sheen, so nothing racist about it. If a white girl wore this stuff to the class, the teacher would have complained the same way.
thurgood marshall is widely regarded as the least intelligent supreme court justice in the history of the court, and the prototype for afro action tokenism
Mr.Mudede, I have a simple solution to your hygiene problems, one you should seriously consider because you and your daughter will encounter similar episodes for the rest of your lives: Move to africa! living among your own people will make your life so much better, you share the same culture, habits, foods, so any odors emanating from your daughter will be celebrated instead of ridiculed. please take your wife too!
I suspect Mr. Mudede is a negro in search of a payday, and salad oil and a child will be his ticket. It has become easier for negroes in america to game the system than to actually work, which explains why africa is home to the lowest standard of living among all of the worlds 180 countries. they hone their craft in africa, working the e-mail scam, the food aid ripoffs, when they get good enough the make their way to america and set up shop. Hopefully the School district will see through this fraud and call mr mudede’s bluff and not offer any kind of settlement.
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&…
A recent survey determined that the ave IQ for a sub-saharan african (negroid) was only 67.
@340:
180 countries? what decade are you living in???
Even if this wasn’t racially motivated, it was handled very poorly. And, echoing the sentiment of many above, someone who suffers fainting spells as a result of being in the same room with a person who has shampooed or conditioned their hair should not be working with the public.
Even if this wasn’t racially motivated, it was handled very poorly. And, echoing the sentiment of many above, someone who suffers fainting spells as a result of being in the same room with a person who has shampooed or conditioned their hair should not be working with the public.
@336: those liberal elitists who first thought multiculturalism might be a noble ideal were named adams, jefferson, hamilton, franklin, et al – they fought for liberty for liberty’s sake. You might recall something about ‘all men created equal’…? The american revolution was a fight to GET that “liberal, elite” idealism and make it law (though I think back then liberal elitism was actually called ‘educated enlightenment’).
…
that historic western civilation you allude to, and the lowest common denominator: sounds a lot like keywords in the definition of
democracy where even back to the ancient greeks the lowliest stable shoveler got to vote on the same candidates the rich politician got to vote on. Likewise, the US allows anyone deemed old enough to vote as they want… third class ticket holder or not.
Your POV only makes sense if it were given from a redcoat monarch loyalist, not a modern bill-of-rights-defending american.
In any case, Here’s a toast to the freedom of speech & press, friend. CHEERS
Mr. Mudede, I’m sure your daughter’s hair texture, while curly, is closer to American standards than my daughter’s kinky hair from two black parents. I thought about what I would do if I was in your wife’s situation and I would have handled it differently. Since education, not race, is a priority in my household, my daughter would have worn her hair in cornrows the entire year, rather than risk my daughter being singled out for being anything other than special. I would have been able to alter her hairstyle because as her mother I know how to manage her hair because it is like my own.
I do not respect most racism claims from blacks in interracial marriages, especially blacks who make their living off racism claims, black studies (academics) black art (Kara Walker), etc. I, in no way imply that love was not a motivating factor in your union with your wife, but I would like people to admit to the upgrade aspect of marrying white. Though it is not true whites are less likely to have poor credit, criminal history or more likely to raise better children, it is certainly perceived that way in society and so technically you married into the very white privilege you get paid to enviscerate. This is an issue to you because you get paid to be a persecuted black man, but your daughter does not have to be weighed down with the burden of being black when she is not. The real issue is that you married a white woman who can’t do her daughter’s hair properly and all of this could have been avoided if you took your daughter to a salon in the black part of town to get her hair braided.
Please stop trying to turn your daughter into Rosa Parks.
Well spoken, JennifaOjenny!
Rev Smith @ 346; That’s quite the revisionist history you have there, you say that Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Franklin were the original multiculturalists’, Excuse me? maybe you can enlighten me to all the non- European Peoples that emigrated to colonial United States of their own free will. Yes you are right all men are created equal, however the black race is not human, they are subhuman, according to D.N.A evidence on intelligence, and the fact that in Sub-Sahara Africa the civilization has not changed in hundreds of years, and the average IQ is 67, and if I remember correctly that around the mental retardation level. The American Revolution was fought to fight oppression from the Crown, and to get representation in the English Parliament, at the time taxation without representation was considered very oppressive, thus the Revolutionary War. Your right about the origins of Democracy, however you had to be a citizen to vote and a lowly stable boy would not have been a citizen, more likely a slave. Besides I was under the impression that the United States of America was a Republic not a Democracy. You are also sadly mistaken about my view point; I see tax payer’s money given out at nausea to minorities, along with affirmative action, the lowering of standards at schools, universities, and jobs. To help the minorities, so they can compete with humans, thus the comment of minorities drags us down You are 100% Right freedom of speech is essential to freedom, and Justice, but as far as freedom of the press is concerned, what freedom of the press, have you watched any mass media lately or read a national news paper, they all sing the same song in Unisom, no dissenting voice anywhere. I have yet to see any reporting on the black on white violence that happens more that white on black crime. The Department of Justice statistics 2005 there is 50% more black on white crime than white on black crime, but why do we never hear about that. How about reporting on the hate that is preached towards the white man and the U.S.A. in black churches, or how about the violent racist kill whitey that is portrayed in rap music, I have many examples, but for space I will give you a short example, kill the white people; we gonna make them hurt; kill the white people; but buy my record first; ha, ha, ha; kill d’ White People. Apache, Apache Ain’t Shit, 1993, Tommy Boy Music, Time Warner, U.S.A.
“… a dog’s hair gives the teacher FEWER problems than my daughter’s human but curly hair” is the correct usage! Sheesh.
“… a dog’s hair gives the teacher FEWER problems than my daughter’s human but curly hair” is the correct usage! Sheesh. That teacher better focus on teaching child and parent correct grammar instead of whining about the girl’s hair.
and the super ugly move back to Africa, uppity black people remarks make me sick to my stomach and convince him he’s right. This was a poor judgement by the teacher issue (call the parent immediately if you remove the child). I don’t think it was racially motivated, and the response by the parents was way over the top, but I do think a lot of stuff of this comment blog is sad and ignorant.
As a teacher, white, with extremely curly hair… I see a few sides of this issue.
Personally, I would never, ever, dream of kicking a kid out- even if it was killing me, allergy-wise. And I do have some sensitivity at times to smells. Thankfully, I haven’t had a kid send me over the edge, yet. I’d have someone cover my room, and load up on some allergy meds.
That is how I would handle it. It is semi-reasonable to request a reduction in fragrances in a room, if I had a serious issue with allergies… and asking, in person, that if a particular hair product is causing a reaction, kindly requesting a switch to another might be reasonable (and I personally, would have offered to cover some cost of getting a different product, just to demonstrate an understanding of the inconvenience of the whole thing)
At the same time, it is difficult to find good products for curly hair/ethnic hair. In general. In particular in the Pacific Northwest from when I lived there. But in general. It is more expensive, harder to find, and can have a variety of products in it that you may not want in your hair/on your body. For most white people, they can’t fathom not going to any store and finding the product they need. So it is not culturally sensitive to expect all students to be able to comply with a fragrance-free zone. That should have been something dealt with a class switch early in the year.
Saying go all-natural doesn’t always work, either… because there is still such a stigma associated with curly, big hair. Socially, big, poofy hair, may well lead to harassment, bullying, or teasing. Great for any child to have to go through. (Especially when it is a part of who you are, and in fact, beautiful!)
The other issue being, making sure that when dealing with potential cultural insensitivity, to first educate and inform, stay cool and level headed, and avoid public or private outcries of racism until all the facts are collected and organized and analyzed. Why? Because it closes doors and minds. You, may get labeled as the family that “pulls the race card” whenever there is an issue, your child may turn to believe that the odds are stacked against her early in life, and respond accordingly, vs. striving for her best, and when things get turned into a stand off, everyone loses.
Wouldn’t it be wrong to cost a teacher her career if she really did have a legitimate severe allergy to the product your child was using? Wouldn’t it be wrong to further humiliate your daughter by making her the center of a media frenzy over hair product? She’s 8- you all picked the product, but she’s facing unknown repercussions for it- and it sounds like you all knew about the allergy thing, and repeatedly sent her with the product even after the fact. She pays a price for a political stand against injustices real or perceived.
The only ‘racism’ in this article is purely, wholly, fully on the part of the writer.
A stink is a stink. Many public and private facilities are designated as scent-free (let alone stink-free) zones. To hide behind the race card is despicable enough, but to stick your innocent daughter as the vehicle for your apparent racism for her teacher is just vile.
It is pointless to judge the smell of a product by simply sniffing it within the bottle. Perfumed scents respond differently when placed on human hair or skin.
Apologize to the teacher immediately and wash your daughter’s hair properly – or risk having your daughter seized by government authorities and placed in a proper, respectful adoptive home.
What machew and Blah De Blah said.
I’d have to know a few more details before I could make a judgement call on this one.
1. Does this teacher have any kind of history of covert or overt racism towards the children in her class?
2. Has she had issues with smells with other kids in the past? I sat next to a girl on the bus on the way to school as a kid and I don’t know WHAT she put in her hair, but it was nauseating. I almost got sick.
3. (Similar to question 1) Has she ever acted differently to his daughter in particular vs. the other children?
I’m not saying that she should have singled the child out; sending her out of the room was inappropriate because it is shaming to a child to be singled out in such a way. However, jumping to the conclusion that it was out and out racism is not something that should be done as a knee jerk reaction. I was a nanny for an African American family and the mother was incensed that when we took her daughter to the ER that the dr. asked for a “high-five”. She felt that he was only doing that because her daughter was black and when I pointed out that I can remember doing that all the time as a kid in a white neighborhood; that that action had assimilated into white culture, she was disbelieving at first. So it is easy to jump to that conclusion…. and no wonder. It’s always easy to talk about fairness and equality and how one believes that minorities are using the race card whenever something happens when you’re the race essentially with all the power. Not having grown up with people looking at me differently or having my parents or antecedents being treated with disdain and cruelty, I could easily be shrugging this off as just someone with a chip on their shoulder. So I don’t want to do that. I do feel, however, that knowing what was going on on both sides is the only way to make a fair assessment of what really happened. If it turns out that she truly was sickened by the smell, then she should at least be taught to show more sensitivity to a child who should never be singled out like that. Also, if she had a real issue she could have easily asked the parents about any products OR put up a general notice to ALL parents informing them that she was allergic to perfumes, she can’t go into Bath and Body Works, etc. Another note: You can be allergic to smells and not dog hair at the same time.
I hope I managed to convey what I am trying to articulate without coming across as racially insensitive. If the teacher turns out to have singled out this child due to race, then proper action should be taken. I also don’t want this woman to be disciplined or lose her job because of a reaction to a product merely because it would be used on African American hair vs. Caucasian hair. She would then be stuck in the untenable position of not being able to say anything about the subject and have to deal with her reaction to the product because she would be accused of racism for bringing it up – That’s why I think a general notice to ALL parents about her allergy to perfumes would have been the best course of action.