Back in October, 8-year-old Marian Scott was denied the chance to have her photograph taken for a school picture due to her red braided hair being deemed in violation of the dress code at Paragon Charter Academy in Jackson, Michigan, according to BET. The academy’s handbook states that students’ hair color must be natural tones to get their picture taken. However, Chicago-based photographer Jermaine Horton stepped in to give Scott the photoshoot he says she deserves to celebrate her and her personal style. Horton showcased his photos on social media.
“I’ve never been a little girl, so I don’t know what their dreams and their ambitions are. But I can only imagine a girlie little girl has always imagined herself at a photoshoot or being dressed up like a princess,” her father, Doug Scott told Yahoo. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Since then, Scott’s parents have removed their daughter from the school. Now, she attends a public school where she is allowed to express herself more freely. “She’s got a ton of friends and she loves the new school. No uniform, no restrictions on hair. She can express herself and not have to worry about it,” Scott said.
Horton told Yahoo Lifestyle that giving Marian the freedom to express herself emotionally was also his main goal. “I have heard this story many times over, dealing with black children and their choice of hair — whether it’s dreads, the length of their hair, the color of their hair,” he says of his desire to help out. “You could just tell it was like a sigh of relief afterward. It just feels good to be a part of it.”