[gpga-news] SMN: GGP Candidate Fighting Racist Grooming Policy in Savannah

[Hugh Esco]

This article features a case currently being litigated by the Georgia Green 
Party Nominee in the First Congressional District, Savannah Attorney Joyce 
Griggs, who was recently elected as the state Party's second Secretary.  -- HE

County office eases hair policy
By Paula Reed Ward
Savannah Morning News

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," Prouse 
wrote in her statement.

Her new position grants an exception to a policy enacted in her office on 
July 22 prohibiting twist and dreadlock hairstyles. Prouse now says those 
hairstyles will be permitted as long as they are "neat, well-maintained and 
professional."
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," Prouse said.

Besides garnering local attention, the controversy has also sparked 
interest in the national media. Bostick and her lawyer, Joyce Griggs, are 
expected to be featured this evening on "Connie Chung Tonight" on CNN.

The two flew to New York City early Thursday and taped the show Thursday 
afternoon.

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 men.

"Nineteen of the 36 employees in my office are African American and wear a 
variety of hairstyles," 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 Bostick's hair that have run in the media do not show Bostick's 
hair as it was worn at work, Prouse said.

When Griggs heard Prouse's statement, though, she was angry.

Last week, 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," 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.

Prouse said she has heard from people who believe she did the right thing. 
She said one group, which identified itself as her "public supporters," 
sent 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," Prouse said.

An elected official, Prouse said, she is also upset by people calling 
Bostick's absence a suspension. Bostick has not been suspended, instead she 
is taking vacation time until the situation is resolved, Prouse said.

But Griggs countered that it certainly wasn't a planned or desired vacation.

Bostick has 30 days of vacation and has used nine since being asked to leave.
Talks about Bostick's situation have occurred between Griggs and the 
county's human resources department, but they still have not come up with a 
resolution, she said.

Bostick has now said she does not want to return to the clerk's office and 
would like to find a job in another county office instead. But the county 
is in a hiring freeze, Griggs said.

"We want to get this matter resolved, get back in a position and get on 
with her life," Griggs said from New York Thursday afternoon.

Michael Kaigler, human resources and services director, said they offered 
to go into mediation with Bostick, and she's agreed.

They are also trying to find another position for Bostick in a different 
county office. If that happens, he added, she will not lose her seniority.

Even once Bostick returns to work -- either in the clerk's office or 
somewhere else -- Griggs said she and Bostick will keep fighting until the 
superior court clerk's policy is changed.

She has contacted the Atlanta office of the American Civil Liberties Union, 
as well as U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney's office.

"We are looking at pursuing this matter on various angles," Griggs said.

Courts reporter Paula Reed Ward can be reached at 652-0360 or at 
paulaw@savannahnow.com.