Is it ok for my son to have braids?

[Abneyandteal19]

Hi there
So I am white and my husband mixed race (white and black Caribbean)
Our sons are of course therefore mixed race although they appear white and have European hair.
My eldest is 8 massive football fan and wants his hair braided like his favourite footballers (Raheem Sterling) and his cousins (who have Afro hair)
He understands he is mixed race and is proud of that but I just wanted to check it wouldn't be seen as wrong for him to have braids? My husband thinks it fine but I've seen people in the press be criticized for this.
Thanks for your help! Attached is a photo of what he wants roughly (but more braids apparently!)

Photo attached hopefully

No one normal would care.

This.

Thank you

Out of interest does your child's school follow the halo code? A few friends have noticed big differences in the attitude of the school when they do in comparison to those that don't...my friends son (mixed-race Caribbean) school do and he's had no issues...other friends school doesn't she had a phone call saying his hair style represented 'gang' culture and they had to be removed.

Definitely this.

I'd check with the school before getting into an argument with them. Our school wouldn't allow it but we are in a rural area and braids would be fairly unusual.

“Gang culture”??

Jesus Christ what a racist school. A good 50% of the kids in DS’s class have braids, it’s a very practical tidy style.

I’m not black. What I see is a very smart style. Don’t know why anyone would have a problem with it.

@Saschka yep we were gobsmacked still to this day can't believe it. It took every bone in my body not to go up to that school it makes my blood boil now whilst typing. It was two years ago and he's now at College and it's a completely different vibe he's flourishing and has no issues with hair or anything else. Honestly the way some schools police black Childrens bodies is despicable. Luckily not all school are like this and things are very slowly going in the right direction but not quick enough in my opinion.

Only a massive wokey virtue signalling oddball would have a problem with this, and I hope you tell them where to go if they do. You don’t need to be a specific level of black to have braids.

Ffs

My thoughts exactly.

I'm West African. This Hair style will never be permitted in any reputable school in my home country.

I know much culture, my language, food etc and this is not it.

In fact the police will immediately stop and search a man with such hairstyle.
You'll typically find this sort of hairstyle in the most dangerous ungoverned parts of the most brutal ghettos.

In England however, I notice that "Black" culture is determined by a certain part of the "Black" populace. Much of this "culture" is not African or is a negative part and not accepted generally and only imbibed by those on the fringe of society.

Your son can have whatever hair style he wants as long as you're all happy with what it conveys.

Open a typical African newspaper, read through it. Find a man who resonates with who you want your son to be like if he has a similar hair style then go for it "with your full chest". Don't be surprised when you begin to see in him other expressions that come with those who favour such hairstyle. It's a free world but choices have consequences.

Totally agree. Not a good look.