Ohio mother’s lawsuit accuses teacher, aide of humiliating son by giving him ponytails
By APWednesday, January 27, 2010
Mother sues Ohio school over her son’s ponytails
CINCINNATI — An Ohio woman accuses a teacher and an aide in a lawsuit of humiliating her son for his long hair by tying it into ponytails and encouraging students to mock him.
Amanda Anoai (ah-nuh-wah-EE’) sued Monday in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati on behalf of her 11-year-old son. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and accuses school officials of violating the boy’s constitutional rights and inflicting emotional distress.
The suit was filed against a sixth-grade teacher, a teacher’s aide, the Boyd E. Smith Elementary School principal, and the Milford school district and its superintendent.
It accuses the teacher and aide of tying the boy’s hair into three ponytails, one above each ear and one atop his head.
School officials declined to comment on Wednesday.
