Lawsuit seeks $1M after Michigan teacher cuts girl’s hair

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — The father of a 7-year-old Michigan girl whose hair was cut by a teacher without her parents’ permission has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the school district, a librarian and a teacher’s assistant.

MLive.com reports that the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Grand Rapids against Mount Pleasant Public Schools. It alleges that the biracial girl’s constitutional rights were violated, racial discrimination, ethnic intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery.

Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who is Black and white, said in March that a classmate used scissors to cut one side of his daughter’s hair. He said two days later a teacher cut Jurnee’s hair to even it out.

Hoffmeyer says the classmate and the teacher are white. Jurnee’s mother is white.