
Steven Evergreen Fennidy/Facebook
The first day of school should be one of the most exciting moments in a child’s life. As for Faith Fennidy, an 11-year-old, 6th grader attending Christ the King Elementary School in Terrytown, Louisiana –– a dreadful experience.
Faith’s older sibling, Steven Fennidy, 27, took to Facebook to express his disgust over the administration’s discriminatory “dress code” policy against hair extensions, which conflicts with Faith’s current hairstyle.
“I hate that I have to post this. But this just isn’t right. This is an issue we tried to resolve with the school, but they won’t compromise at all. My sister Faith and many little black girls wear extensions. She’s been attending this school for two years and wearing extensions.” he said in the post.
“Over the summer the school has sneakily added in a policy, that no extensions, clip-ins or weaves are allowed. Faith got a notice on the first day of class and it’s ridiculous that these schools that we are PAYING for, will go in and make policies without consulting or trying to figure out how this will affect your life or your child’s life,” he added.

Steven Evergreen Fennidy/Facebook
To accompany the social media post, Steven attached disturbing video footage of Faith appearing to be in complete devastation while packing her belongings amid being dismissed from school.
Additionally, Ndlyss was sent exclusive audio by Steven, of their parents Montrelle Fennidy, 45, and Steven Fennidy 48, discussing the questionable policy with the school’s principal, Dawn Swear.
According to Montrelle, Faith has been wearing her hair braid extensions at the school for 2 years with no problems.
“I am very hurt by this because my daughter is not her hair. She is the soul that lives within. You’re attacking her hair. She want’s to wear her hair the way we want her to wear it. It’s apart of our culture,” she said calmly.
Faith informed her parents that she and another girl were pulled out of class and some of the administration began touching their hair, asking if it was theirs.
In response, Swear says the school has been allowing the students to wear hair extensions for the last 20 years, but over the past few years it’s become a problem to the faculty because they’ve been, “flipping it… and doing this… and that with it.”
Montrelle says they pay tuition for her daughter to attend the private school, but will not compromise Faith’s hair and asked the principal what’s the policy for not changing it. Swear simply said, “She can’t come to school.”
Faith’s brother was present for the heated conversation and chimed in at his sister’s defense, hoping to find common ground.
“I’ve gone to private school my entire life. The policies are about what’s distracting. I’ve even gone to public school for a little while where [the students] are able to wear all [kinds of] crazy hairstyles,” he said.
“I understand not having crazy colors and all that, but what [are] the extensions doing to hurt or distract anybody from learning. You don’t know what the situation with her hair is. Do you have any Black people helping you to make rules because it should be something that is discussed.”
Despite, the validity of the Fennidy family’s points, the principal refused to reconsider the insensitive policy and will not allow Faith in school until the extensions are removed.
Faith parents believe this is an act of racial discrimination and have plans to file a lawsuit against Christ the King.
Archdiocese of New Orleans Superintendent RaeNell Houston released a statement Tuesday morning regarding the new policy.
Archdiocese of New Orleans schools develop policies appropriate for their respective schools. Christ the King Elementary School has a policy that states: “Boys and Girls: Only the students’ natural hair is permitted.”
This policy was communicated to all parents during the summer and again before the first day of school, and was applied to all students. Furthermore, the school leadership worked with families as needed to ensure compliance.
We remain committed to being a welcoming school community that celebrates our unity and diversity.
NDLYSS was the first to break the story. Originally published –– 2:53 PM ET.
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