Ohio man allegedly fired from summer job because of dreadlocks

CLEVELAND -- Did dreads cost an Ohio man his summer dream job? That's what he thinks.

Charles Craddock tells WEWS-TV he had just moved into the dorms at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio when he was told he had to cut off his shoulder-length dreadlocks at a training session. The ultimatum came after a Skype interview and orientation.

"I actually asked her about it, because I read over the guidelines," Craddock said about his interview. "So I asked her, 'Will it be a problem with my hair?' and she said, 'No, as long as you keep it pinned up when you're working.'"

Part of the park's standards for male workers include specifications that hair can't be longer than your collar, no ponytails or extreme hairstyles, and any twisted hair has to meet the other requirements.

So, just a day after moving him in, Craddock's family made the hour-long trip back to Sandusky to pick him up.

Craddock says it took him four years to grow out his dreadlocks and cutting it would be like losing a part of himself. He planned to use his earnings to pay for tuition at a local community college where he's studying auto mechanics. His mother says they are not angry with the park, but they are frustrated the hiring process went this far.

In an e-mail to WEWS-TV, Cedar Point officials said they would love to have the opportunity to talk with the employee to see how they can continue to have him be a part of the team this summer.