Natural hair might be having a moment in the adult world but at school, afro-haired kids can still struggle for acceptance.

By the time you reach high school, you’ve relaxed your beautiful curls into submission and when the time comes to finally embrace your natural hair, you have to spend months of agony growing it back out.

But not if you’re in Ms Bishop’s class.

Leigha Bishop, a preschool teacher from Texas, is dedicated to going above and beyond for her students – even if that means getting her hair done in the same style as her pupils’.




One of her little students came into her class wearing a topknot with cornrows saying that she was unhappy with her new ‘do.

The next day, Leigha came in with the very same hairstyle.

‘I told her, “Don’t be mad at me when I come to school tomorrow with my hair just like that!” Of course, she didn’t believe me!’ she says.

Later that night, she decided to show how beautiful her student looked by getting it done herself.

This teacher, Ms. Bishop from Lakeview Elementary in Sugarland, Tx complimented one of her student’s hair saying she loved it, but the little girl didn’t believe her. The next day, the teacher came to school with her hair done the same as her student so cute! pic.twitter.com/jdVc3eDIDq — J'Ardoin Janǽ (@JArdoin_814) February 2, 2018

The photo of the pair has since been retweeted over 37,000 times but Leigha says her student’s reaction was the real standout moment.

‘When I opened the car door to help her out, her face was priceless,’ she tells Refinery29.

‘Her jaw dropped and she just stared at me. I told her, “You thought I was playing? We are going to be cute together!”‘

Despite that, she still says that she’s shocked at the reaction online.

‘I mean, for people to feel this picture was exactly what I was hoping for, but never in a million years would I have thought it had the ability to impact this many people.

Wow!!! Thank you so much sharing?? this is just me simply living my purpose….teaching children (and all people) to feel whole & loved!! Thank you again for sharing? — Ms. Leigha Bishop (@LeighaBishop) February 6, 2018

‘My first-grade teacher actually texted me- and she lives in Oakland! I’m very close to a lot of my parents, past and current, so I received a lot of reassuring messages that I’m doing exactly what God called me to do.’

She says that although she’s here for all children, Black kids do need more positive examples and if ‘young Black girls knew of the never-ending list of Black women who made a difference and are still making a difference, we wouldn’t have so many little Black girls with no one to look up to’.

‘It is important for these girls to know that they are important, too. They have a voice that can be heard. They have a story that can be told. They have a heart that can be loved and respected.’

Now that’s the sort of person we need teaching our kids in every school across the globe.

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