Racial Profiling and Discrimination at a Yeg School | The Story of Una Momolu Challenge of Edmonton’s Powerful School Board
Una Momolu is the mother of eleven-year-old Emmell who was pulled out of his classes by the principal of an Edmonton school for wearing a durag. A durag is a scarf usually worn on the head by women after a hair treatment process. It is also worn by men of colour as a preservation tool, it gives the effect of perfect waves. Waves for men of colour is very trendy and in vogue. An essential part of black culture, stars such as Idris Elba, Solange and Rihanna have worn the durag at different times in the public eye. So is the durag the sign of gangsters or a black culture artefact?
The Edmonton mother was banned from her son’s school for objecting to the racial profiling he was subjected to for wearing a durag. Her son has been offered a space in another school but her fight continues to get the Edmonton school to apologize for banning her, calling her an angry black woman and for racial profiling her son.
Racial profiling is not new to many people of colour. The thing is her son is only eleven years old and he was at school. The durag which he wore is not mentioned in the school policy as a prohibited item or clothing, culture or religion.
Several questions here:
1. What if the school never apologizes? What next?
2. Are there mothers of colour out there that have been vilified by Edmonton’s schools? We want to hear your story. Please reach out: info@ladiescorner.ca
3. What more can be done to educate us on Black culture?
4. The absence of black teachers in Edmonton schools is a thing. Is it not?
