Family Threatening Lawsuit Over Fifth Grade Haircuit

By: Jon Paepcke/NBC 13 | Alabama's13.com
Published: May 21, 2008

CHILDERSBURG, Ala. --- Like any other fifth grade girl, Hannah McNeily enjoys brushing her hair.

“It's my glory, I like my hair long and it's never been cut before,” McNeily said Wednesday.

Believe it or not, until two weeks ago her locks were even longer.

While in a Childersburg Middle School bathroom on May 7, Hannah asked a classmate to help work out a knot in her hair.

Instead, Hannah claims, that student cut off 8 inches.

“I turned around and it was on the floor. And I said you cut my hair and she said maybe I did and maybe I didn't but it looks better cut,” McNeily remembered.

You see, Hannah's family is United Penecostal.

Her father Tim is a pastor.

The McNeily’s said Penecostal women believe their hair is a strength and should never be cut.

“According to scripture we believes, we believe that means we lose power with the angels. And the very first thing that my daughter said once we got back in the van to leave was mama I lost my angels,” McNeily’s mother Sherry pointed out.

In fact the haircut has prompted the McNeily's to hire a lawyer.

They have asked for the classmate to be disciplined, an apology from the principal and for Hannah to be transferred to another school.

Today McNeilys claimed if the Talladega County School District doesn't take the appropriate action, they are prepared to file a lawsuit.

“We feel as if our beliefs have been assaulted. We feel violated because the school board has passed this off as a non-issue,” McNeily’s father Tim concluded.

So far the McNeilys said their requests have been ignored.

Wednesday the Talladega County School District issued the following statement:

“Administrators at both the school and central office investigated this reported incident thoroughly and could not find any facts that support the parents' allegations.”

Family Threatening Lawsuit Over Fifth Grade Haircuit

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