Tastey
08-03-2002, 03:51 PM
By Paula Reed Ward
Morris News Service
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Inger Bostick could return to her job in the Chatham County Courthouse - if she keeps her twist hairstyle well-maintained.
That was the statement released Thursday by Superior Court Clerk Susan Prouse.
"If Mrs. Bostick would maintain her hairstyle as shown by the news media, I would have no problem with her returning to work in this office," Ms. Prouse wrote in her statement.
Ms. Prouse's new position grants an exception to a policy enacted in her office July 22 prohibiting twist and dread-lock hairstyles, frequently worn by black women. Ms. Prouse now says those hair-styles will be permitted as long as they are "neat, well-maintained and professional."
Mrs. Bostick, who has worked in the clerk's office for 13 years, was sent home the same day the policy took effect because of her twist.
"If she had maintained it correctly to begin with, there never would have been a problem," Ms. Prouse said.
Besides garnering local attention, the controversy has sparked interest in the national media. Mrs. Bostick and her lawyer, Joyce Griggs, were expected to be featured Friday on Connie Chung Tonight on CNN.
The two flew to New York City early Thursday and taped the show Thursday afternoon.
Ms. Prouse was asked to join the discussion late Wednesday but declined, instead opting to issue a written statement. In it, she said she has no problem with any ethnic hairstyle. She has also said that the policy was written by three black women.
"Nineteen of the 36 employees in my office are African American and wear a variety of hairstyles," Ms. Prouse wrote. "Mrs. Bostick's was not continuously neat and maintained. Due to this, I felt that it would be very difficult to have a policy that allowed twists to be worn. I would then be faced with decisions as to whether they were well-maintained, neat and depicted a professional image."
Photos of Mrs. Bostick's hair that have run in the media do not show Mrs. Bostick's hair as it was worn at work, Ms. Prouse said.
When Ms. Griggs heard Ms. Prouse's statement, though, she was angry.
Last week, Ms. Prouse said twists did not depict the professional image she wanted in her office. "Now it changes that it wasn't neat - that's sad," Ms. Griggs said. "That's a blatant lie."
In addition to banning certain hairstyles, the policy also requires women to wear pantyhose and men to keep facial hair neatly trimmed.
Ms. Prouse said she has heard from people who say she did the right thing. She said one group, which identified itself as her "public supporters," sent Ms. Prouse a bouquet of flowers, praising her new policy. They told her they wished other departments would follow suit.
"They have business in the courthouse and frequently cannot tell the personnel from the customers," Ms. Prouse said.
An elected official, Ms. Prouse said, she is also upset by people calling Mrs. Bostick's absence a suspension. Mrs. Bostick has not been suspended; instead she is taking vacation time until the situation is resolved, Ms. Prouse said.
Ms. Griggs countered that it certainly wasn't a planned or desired vacation.
Morris News Service
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Inger Bostick could return to her job in the Chatham County Courthouse - if she keeps her twist hairstyle well-maintained.
That was the statement released Thursday by Superior Court Clerk Susan Prouse.
"If Mrs. Bostick would maintain her hairstyle as shown by the news media, I would have no problem with her returning to work in this office," Ms. Prouse wrote in her statement.
Ms. Prouse's new position grants an exception to a policy enacted in her office July 22 prohibiting twist and dread-lock hairstyles, frequently worn by black women. Ms. Prouse now says those hair-styles will be permitted as long as they are "neat, well-maintained and professional."
Mrs. Bostick, who has worked in the clerk's office for 13 years, was sent home the same day the policy took effect because of her twist.
"If she had maintained it correctly to begin with, there never would have been a problem," Ms. Prouse said.
Besides garnering local attention, the controversy has sparked interest in the national media. Mrs. Bostick and her lawyer, Joyce Griggs, were expected to be featured Friday on Connie Chung Tonight on CNN.
The two flew to New York City early Thursday and taped the show Thursday afternoon.
Ms. Prouse was asked to join the discussion late Wednesday but declined, instead opting to issue a written statement. In it, she said she has no problem with any ethnic hairstyle. She has also said that the policy was written by three black women.
"Nineteen of the 36 employees in my office are African American and wear a variety of hairstyles," Ms. Prouse wrote. "Mrs. Bostick's was not continuously neat and maintained. Due to this, I felt that it would be very difficult to have a policy that allowed twists to be worn. I would then be faced with decisions as to whether they were well-maintained, neat and depicted a professional image."
Photos of Mrs. Bostick's hair that have run in the media do not show Mrs. Bostick's hair as it was worn at work, Ms. Prouse said.
When Ms. Griggs heard Ms. Prouse's statement, though, she was angry.
Last week, Ms. Prouse said twists did not depict the professional image she wanted in her office. "Now it changes that it wasn't neat - that's sad," Ms. Griggs said. "That's a blatant lie."
In addition to banning certain hairstyles, the policy also requires women to wear pantyhose and men to keep facial hair neatly trimmed.
Ms. Prouse said she has heard from people who say she did the right thing. She said one group, which identified itself as her "public supporters," sent Ms. Prouse a bouquet of flowers, praising her new policy. They told her they wished other departments would follow suit.
"They have business in the courthouse and frequently cannot tell the personnel from the customers," Ms. Prouse said.
An elected official, Ms. Prouse said, she is also upset by people calling Mrs. Bostick's absence a suspension. Mrs. Bostick has not been suspended; instead she is taking vacation time until the situation is resolved, Ms. Prouse said.
Ms. Griggs countered that it certainly wasn't a planned or desired vacation.