Massachusetts 11-Year-Old Says Her Braid Was Cut Off In Class

MELROSE, MA — A Melrose fifth-grader and her family are considering transferring from Winthrop Elementary School after a fellow student cut one of the girl's braids in half when she wasn't looking, according to 7News Boston.

The little girl, who asked the outlet not to be identified, is one of two Black girls in her class, and her mother told 7News Boston "There's no doubt in my mind that my daughter was racially targeted."

The girl's mother said that her teacher implied that the braid simply fell out on its own, according to 7News Boston.

Meanwhile, Melrose Public Schools Superintendent John Macero told Patch in a statement Thursday afternoon that they "take the allegations seriously" and plan to hire a third-party firm to investigate.

"I met Wednesday with the student and their family," Macero added. " ... We are reporting the incident to the relevant state agencies ... When any concern is raised by a student, school employee, or family member, Melrose Public Schools focuses on providing a fair and timely resolution in accordance with school policies and state and federal law. Our top priority is ensuring that every member of the Melrose Public Schools community is safe at school."

Read the full report in 7News Boston.