By SHAUNA ANDERSON
For 10-year-old Jetta it was just about helping others.
She had read about charities that make wigs for cancer and she wanted to donate her own hair.
Her mother was “super proud”.
Jetta just wanted to make a difference.
What she never expected was the bullying and hatred that followed a simple desire to help out others.
10-year old Jetta first had her hair cut to her shoulders but decided that wasn’t short enough.
“She wanted it shorter, so we went back and they cut it shorter and I think that’s when things got worse” her mother, Heidi Fosberg told WHIO.
Jetta from Ohio in the US, had a pixie cut – a gorgeous crop that made her face light up.
She donated 35 cm of luscious golden hair to the charity Wigs for Kids.
But when she went to school the bullies struck.
Various boys from her classroom started to tease her. Jetta says they told her she was ugly, and that she must want to be a boy.
The little girl was left devastated. She had only wanted to help others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE_Kqyt9pIA
The bullying went on for several weeks.
Heidi decided to approach the school principal about it.
She told WHIO that his attitude shocked her.
“He told me that he didn’t know of any child that had ever died from words, and that we needed to toughen up and deal with it, and he would deal with it how he saw appropriate which was obviously not the response we were looking for.”
Jetta’s mum decided to pull her out of school.
“Some kids go through this, far more severe, far longer than Jetta has endured, but it shouldn’t matter,” she said. “We just want them to realise that this isn’t just kids being kids and kids shouldn’t get to say things like this.”
Heidi has now stated up a Facebook page and says she has been inundated with support from around the world.
“Saturday, my 7 year old daughter cut 12 inches of hair after I read your story to them! You are a wonderful person and an inspiration!’ wrote one poster.
Another, “Hi from the Netherlands. Read your story here in the newspaper. You go girl.”
While others who had been affected by cancer themselves thanked Jetta for her bravery “As a mom of a 6th grade daughter who happens to be a leukemia survivor, I am proud of you.”
The school has now said that they are investigating the bullying and working on respect with their pupils.
If you want to donate help kids with cancer you can visit the Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia page here.
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Top Comments
What happened to this pretty girl is terrible. Lots of girls got short haircuts when I was in grade school. Never did I hear any of them get teased. But that was years ago, when I think there existed more respect in general.
I think if she hadn't combed it like a boy's, the reaction from classmates would have been fairly mute. At least, I hope so.
How incredible that the Principal didn't seize the opportunity to showcase what this child did to the overall school - explain how what she had done was amazing and encourage other children wanting to support this magnificent cause.
He may then have been swamped with kudos and praise for his school, rather than a stinging backlash.
What a twit.
PS: My 6 year old daughter has magnificent hair to her waist - if she made/makes a decision to do this in the future, I will totally support her... I cut off my bum-length hair and donated it when I was 13 :-)