Beauty school discrimination?

**melissa8989** · April 14th, 2012, 09:40 AM

I go to a cosmetology school in Florida. Our class is made of mostly black students and Hispanics. What i find strange is we are not taught anything about how to deal with hair that has anything more than a loose curl to it. Our practice manikins all have straight hair "even the black manikins" the exception being one doll we are given that has had a loose perm. We have several book varying between 300- 600 pages long, yet none of it deals with hair in the 3b-4c range. Other students and I have asked about receiving manikins/information dealing with curlier hair types but we are always met with blank stares and fingers pointing to our wavy dolls. This doesn't seem right to me. When ever we have a guest in our salon with this hair type they are always given to a "black" student. What do they expect us to do when we leave school and encounter different hair types? This just feels off to me.

**spidermom** · April 14th, 2012, 09:50 AM

How long have you been in cosmetology school? Maybe that information is coming later.

**melissa8989** · April 14th, 2012, 09:52 AM

Im in the 3rd quarter of four and fourth is all test prep for the state board

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**ellen732** · April 14th, 2012, 10:07 AM

I attended beauty school over twenty years ago and I was taught thermal straightening and relaxers. It was not a part of State Board testing but it was a subject that was covered. I also did African American hair in the salon.

**melissa8989** · April 14th, 2012, 10:09 AM

we are taught relaxers, but as for dealing with natural hair, styles, and cuts we have been left hanging.

**ellen732** · April 14th, 2012, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by melissa8989

we are taught relaxers, but as for dealing with natural hair, styles, and cuts we have been left hanging.

But hair is hair. It's cut and styled exactly the same.

**melissa8989** · April 14th, 2012, 10:12 AM

relaxers where also taught on pin straight hair, i should mention.

**melissa8989** · April 14th, 2012, 10:12 AM

I guess, it just feels intimidating.

**mzBANGBANG** · April 14th, 2012, 10:12 AM

That seems really unfair, demographics of the classroom aside. It's also insulting to the money you pay for your education. Personally I'd want to spend as much time as possible learning about 3/4 type hair since I am so unfamiliar with it. Sounds like they just prep you for the state board requirements.

**Firefly** · April 14th, 2012, 10:16 AM

This explains why my 3b sister can't find a decent stylist! I think that's crazy. Curly hair behaves differently; it just makes sense to spend some time learning about it.