Hampton University business school bans locs and cornrows

[Mosiah]

Where is Marcus Mosiah when you need him?!?!

“When we look at the top 75 African Americans in corporate America, we don’t see any of them with extreme hairdos,” Sid Credie, dean of the business school says.

At one time there were few if any African Americans in business. I guess they should have banned black students from the program then.

sigh

Unnu good ba-ba!

[Rudi]

I had to pinch myself and check if we are in the 21st century. Utterly rediculous. It's instructive that Harvard Business School has no such provision for caucasion or Blacks. Joke.

[Reggaedoc]

Yeh but we are talking about today. "At one time" is not relevant. Let's be realistic Mo. Life, as you know, is not some abstract fantasy. Furthermore can you name me 10 dreadlocks, not counting Bob, who have been instrumental in advancing the causes of peoples of African origin, that is equal to, or goes beyond that which has been advanced by nonlocked black individuals. Dreadlocks is overplayed and even overrated as a hairstyle, or ploitical statement in my book, in today's world. Not necessary in today's world, and a private institution probably has no compelling reason to not have that rule.

[Me]

They don't have to have a rule because 99% of their students have the same look (whether black, white or asian)

[Rudi]

Have you seen the university pictures of Bill Gates, Paul Allen and Steve Jobs with hippie look. It's a hairstyle for god's sake. there are Sikhs at Harvard Business with their turbans no one questions this. It's rediculous plain and simple.

[Me]

Have you seen the university pictures of Bill Gates, Paul Allen and Steve Jobs with hippie look.

What that have to do with Harvard Business school. As mi say before 99% of the people have the same look. There is a reason why they have that same look. Why you think that is the case?

[Rudi]

First of all it's not 99%. But let's say that's the case are you saying that if students showed up to class at Harvard with a different look Harvard would pss a law saying what hairstyles are allowed?

[Me]

They may not implement the rules because of the legal ramifications. However, there is a reason why they interview people for their business school. And it isn't just to hear them speak in person. Since you feel uncomfortable with the 99%... Why do you think the majority of students in that program (applying to the same Investment Banking Consulting, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Hedge Fund, Consulting, Corporate Leadership development program jobs ) look the same?

[Rudi]

I repeat there are Sikhs with hair longer than anyone at Harvard. There are sikhs with turbans working for Hedge Funds, Investment Banks etc. No doubt some of the companies they interviewed with may have had a problem some didn't and hired them based on their perceived intellectual capacity. There are also Sikhs who don't where there Turban and instead cut their hair in the standard business look. They do this to get ahead or to get that dream job. But that is THEIR decision as it should be. In their case it is not imposed by some moronic university bureaucrat. This young lady can cut her hair to get a job when the time comes if she so chooses.

[Me]

And I repeat. The Majority of people in these programs look the same way. Is what percentage you think is Sikh? Better yet what percentage you think is the religion of the corn (maybe that is what them call it at Hampton)?

There is no explicit rule and HBS is smart enough to realize they can enforce them standard on almost all the students, without having an explicit policy that leave them exposed. So it will feel better to you and others that at least they leave the choice, but in reality that choice doesn't really exist for the majority in the program.

[Islandman]

I understand where they are coming from but a ban on the hairstyle seems excessive. We are not talking about 5 year olds here, but grown adults who will soon have to conform to the corporate lifestyle full time.

There was a time not long ago in Jamaica where dreadlocks could not get certain kinds of jobs. So should the response of our institutions have been to ban rastas from applying to the schools? That's the solution ?

I think another approach should have been found. Yes tell them that their hairstyle will put them at a disadvantage in the corporate world, but a ban?

[HL]

Wow! This is quite an interesting topic for debate.

I can see and understand both sides....

[World Fan]

Bobo deh bout still

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuhswGPuLhQ

[Mosiah]

Not worthy of a discussion! It is plain idiotic!!!

And maybe some of us should stop the chatter about National Hero Marcus Garvey. It is hypocritical!!!!

[Mosiah]

I understand where they are coming from...

Are you serious?!?

Well, maybe I can too - it is grounded in racism! Plain and simple!