University of Virginia Library

Braintwain Complains Of
Employer Discrimination

By Ann Brown
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The Student Council is investigating a
report of discrimination in the
employment practices of the Department
of Buildings and Grounds.

The Council action is in response to a
complaint lodged by Steve Braintwain, a
student who was denied employment
because of the length of his hair.

On July 27, Mr. Braintwain
approached Robert Banks, Building Services
Supervisor, seeking a job with the department.
He was told that there was a position available
as a janitor on the night shift in Alderman
Library. He was to report to the Buildings and
Grounds office the next day to fill out a formal
application.

While he was completing the forms, Mr.
Braintwain was told by E.H.Austin Assistant
Director for Building Services, that in order to
be employed he would "have to have a neat
haircut." The student refused to cut his hair
and was consequently denied a job.

Following this incident, Mr. Braintwain
wrote a letter to H.I. Taylor, director of the
department, to bring this discriminatory
practice to his attention.

"I am a student at the University and
although I have heard remarks such as this from
private companies. I was quite astonished to
hear that such blatant prejudice exists in a
department under the auspices of the state of
Virginia towards long-haired males," stated Mr.
Braintwain. He also wrote, "I feel that the way
I chose to wear my hair neither detracts from
my appearance nor would it hinder my
performance as a janitor."

Mr. Taylor's only response to this letter was
to suggest that Mr. Braintwain "contact the
University's Personnel Department for possible
employment."

Among the individuals and groups who were
sent a copy of this letter was the Student
Council who assigned Sandy Lubin to
investigate the complaint.

Kevin Mannix, Student Body President, also
called Mr. Taylor in connection with the
matter. Mr. Mannix later wrote a letter to
Richard Shutts, Business Manager of the
University, to inform him of the contents of
Mr. Taylor's remarks.

"In answer to my questions Mr. Taylor
agreed that the sole reason for Mr. Braintwain's
rejection was the fact that he did not have a
'neat haircut.' Mr. Taylor would not agree that
a hairstyle need only be clean, and stated that
he would continue his 'neat haircut' policy
until he was overruled by higher authority."

Mr. Lubin claimed that in an interview with
him Mr. Taylor stated that any individual who
would come in for a job interview with long
hair "presented the image of a bum" and was
the kind of person who "would end up on skid
row." He added that to get a job it was
necessary to "present a good image."

Mr. Mannix notified Mr. Taylor that a
motion concerning the complaint would be
brought up before the Council at its December
1 meeting. A resolution was discussed and
approved censuring Mr. Taylor and his
department for their prejudicial practices. Mr.
Taylor, however, did not attend the meeting.

In response to the Council's request that he
take action, Mr. Shutts recommended that any
students who have had similar experience in
seeking employment with the department
inform the Council of their difficulties: then
perhaps some corrective moves could be made.