How a Preschooler Made Illinois History
We Love Illinois Schools
English - February 01, 2022 19:00 - 28 minutes - 20 MB - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsEducation education isbe teachers teach illinois educate educators learn learning student Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Previous Episode: Race in America
Jett Hawkins wanted to wear his hair in braids. His school said that hairstyle violated the dress code. So Jett's mother, Ida Nelson, began working to change the school's policy. Less than a year later, she and 4-year-old Jett had transformed school dress codes throughout Illinois with the passage of a new law.
In this podcast, Ida explains why hair has such profound significance in Black culture, and why she's still working to help change laws in other states.
Our theme music is by José Rivera.