Mom Says Black Colorado Cheerleader Kicked off Team for Hair

A Colorado mom told NBC News her 11-year-old daughter was dismissed from her cheerleading team because her natural hair doesn't meet the requirements for competition. The coach said that the girl was taken off the team because her mother threatened team staff.

Tiyana Young, the child's mother, posted a private text message conversation between herself and her daughter's coach on Facebook. In the conversation, we see a disagreement about the requirements for all the girls to be uniform in dress, hair, shoes, and makeup.

In the messages, coach Stephanie Trujillo explains that Young's daughter would be required to purchase a $20 ponytail hairpiece so her hair would match her teammates' during competition. Young refused to buy the hairpiece, citing an agreement (last season) with the owner of Diamond Elite Cheerleading allowing her daughter to wear her "natural hair" with no ponytail attachment.

Young says that when her daughter is forced to put her hair like the other girls it takes hours to style and pull back. Then, on top of that, the bobby pins that are needed to hold her hair dig into her daughter's head. She also believes the reason her daughter is being singled out is that other parents were questioning why her hair was allowed to be different.

Trujillo defended her decision to dismiss Young's daughter, telling NBC NEWS that "The decision was based on threats received that were directed at the staff, which brought forth major safety concerns for the program and its affiliates."

Source: NBC NEWS