4-year-old suspended for long hair

[Zelgadis 638]

Boy, 4, Chooses Long Locks and Is Suspended From Class

My three cents:

1)  It's only a distraction because the board is making a big deal out of it.

2)  If long hair on a boy is a distraction to your kids, you've got issues that go way beyond hair.

3)  I object, in general, to the fact that some school boards seem to think kids are better off when the all look and act the same...  But then, that's how the population is controlled, isn't it?

ISF

 

[Meg 368]

You mean, you don't look at this face and see a subversive character?

[link]

[JanYpe 17]

Boy, 4, Chooses Long Locks and Is Suspended From Class:

“It’s a trade-off,” said one board member, Gary Bingham, an insurance agent, in an interview. “Do the parents value his education more than they value a 4-year-old’s decision to make his own grooming choices?”

 quote>

Ah yes, his education. All that nose to the grindstone fingerpainting and colouring within the lines that was threatened by this subversive behaviour.

The GoogleAds for hair extensions that showed up under the article add a nice touch.

[Oktoberfest 0]

lol, thats good ^^^

i used to hav long hair back in the day, nobody (but my mom) objected in any way. Hell if that school district went to MY high school, then there wouldn't be anybody at my school

[Patricius Maximus 236]

The justification that the school-boarders give nowadays for dress codes and the like is that some things cause a material disruption to their stated objective, learning in a class, and/or cause a clear and present hazard to students (i.e. clothing that has a lot of spikes on it).

What they need to justify, in my view, is that someone having long hair materially disrupts the learning process, or presents a clear hazard. Someone having long hair does neither, so I have to conclude that the school-boarders are nothing but tyrants attempting to force their ideals of masculinity on the general population, using schools as a vehicle and excuse.

This would constitute an aggression on the student for failing to comply with what the school board wanted to look like, which is frankly none of their business. If there were no public schools, and if the government did not force their ideology of "education" down everyone's throats, this incident would never have happened.

[TekindusT 3,809]

Originally posted by: Oktoberfest

lol, thats good ^^^

i used to hav long hair back in the day, nobody (but my mom) objected in any way. Hell if that school district went to MY high school, then there wouldn't be anybody at my schoolquote>

In the other hand, 9 or 10 years ago, an elementary school classmate of mine was punished for having cut his hair to be almost bald. You know, it is summer, it's warm...

[simcity4fan12 13]

I had long hair before the Christmas Holdiays. My Discipline Principal kept telling me to get a hair cut. Then, the last day for the holidays, he and the main principal wait for me as I come to my bus, tell me not to come back to school till I get a haircut, and took my Highschool ID Badge....

It's really stupid....

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

"This is the sort of pedantic nonesense up with which I shall not put." Winston Churchill

Texas is the most hypocritical state I have ever been in. When I was there the good southern Baptists voted the town dry but drank like fish and watched porn movies at home. Dallas was dry, but you could get a private club membership key by knocking on the door. In the private clubs you had a speak-easy atmosphere.

If that is all the school board has to do, then I suggest it has outlived its usefulness and needs to be merged into one or more of the nearest.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Long hair distrupts nap time.

[gianthaiku 5]

oh my god! that is just sad.

ive not seen it happen in britain yet. the sad thing is those teachers must like to Dehuman children, by that i mean make them look the same and force them to have a very boring stupid life.

they want control? they can go play a wii minigame complation, or drive a car. if there is one thing i have learnt is that some people get away with things like this they should be locked up for.

while the victims are accused of lying. i guess what most people lack is the basic ability to stand up. if that kid wants his hair like that, fine with me. a boy wore a skirt to school and wasn't told to go home!

[Duke87 1,070]

If having long hair is considered a problem, then why don't they suspend all the little girls?

[hamsterTK 93]

Bffff....

Mesquite and neighboring Garland are Iike a real world Arlen.

[Odainsaker 2,135]

It's just typical public boards letting their petty control-freak tendencies override common sense, and then having to broadly justify their actions after-the-fact by arguing principles taken to absurdist extremes.  It's not much different than homeowner associations cracking down on due-paying residents for painting the trim of their own houses with color shades not explicitly approved by association guidelines.  Or perhaps the school board was looking for some other thin justification for its existence other than expunging Darwin from science textbooks and rewriting Civil War history into Lincoln's Fascist War of Northern Aggression to Replace the South's Benevolent and Nurturing Patronage of Blacks with Marxist-Federalism.  Hehe, yes, I miss Molly Ivins.

Actually, the current real news regarding education in Texas is Bush-groomed Gov. Perry's decision to turn down a potential $700 million in Federal "Race to the Top" education funding for Texas because, well, it is a gubernatorial election year in Texas, and Perry needs to showcase for the Republican primary his Conservative and secessionist credentials against Obama's socialist takeover of the math and English curriculum.  However, we apparently already follow "No Child Left Behind" criteria in order to recieve Federal funding for poor and disabled, so that point is moot except as political theatre.  Yep, we join only former Gov. Palin's Alaska in declaring that States' Rights trump even mathematics, especially when our local school districts in this poor economy shutter programs due to severe budget crises.

Texas refuses federal school funds

San Antonio Express-News, January 13, 2010

It's just as well, I suppose, as Texas would likely be no more capable of managing educational funding than it is properly distributing Federally-subsidized food stamps to eligible needy:

Texas' progam for food stamps called the worst

San Antonio Express News, January 13, 2010

Because, like combating hair length and paint color, perfectly quashing even the tiniest potential fraud is far more important in this economy than addressing the 3 million Texans requiring food assistance.  Better that a million innocents starve rather than allow one fraudulent claim to escape.  Appearance matters, you know!

I almost want to see Palestinian-American haircare entrepreneur and Texas Democratic primary candidate Farouk Shami win the governership this year just for the humor.  Imagine..."Gov. Farouk Shami of Texas"...how that would turn the local Deport-Obama-Back-to-Kenya crowd on their heads!  Sadly, I fear after 10 lackluster years already, we are poised to get Bush's handpicked successor back for yet another 4.

[Meg 368]

There was another case of this about a year ago.   In that case, the kindergartener had short hair with designs cut into it.   It looked like they had cut his whole head using a number 2 razor (maybe a 3?)  and then cut out other bits to make designs.  They looked like swirls and curlicues to me.  If the designs meant something, I missed it.  I wish I could find a picture.

Anyway, that kid got the same treatment.  His haircut was deemed inappropriate and disruptive.  I didn't see what the big deal was.   Of all of the things to worry about with kids, why fuss about hair?

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Easy Bakes 253]

This thing is totaly parent driven, I doubt a 4 year old realy cares what thier hair looks like.

Its like Ballon Boy, the school probably mentioned the  long hair and they wanted to get  thier name in the papers.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, these guys have clearly touched the nerve of freedom of expression around here. I believe that's the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, or is it the Fourth? I have never been well exposed to U.S. civics having been immersed in the British system when I was a kid then grown into our Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights.

Small boys with long hair are cute. When the time comes for that first short hair cut, tears are often shed by others than they.

[hym 358]

The Fourth Amendment is protection from unreasonable search and seizure.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes

This thing is totaly parent driven, I doubt a 4 year old realy cares what thier hair looks like.

Its like Ballon Boy, the school probably mentioned the  long hair and they wanted to get  thier name in the papers.

quote>

I'm not so sure about that.   In the picture above, look at the other kids in the mirror.  They have short hair.

Of course, we don't know who they are.  They could be neighbors and not brothers.

Who knows?  Maybe this kid, as a 2 year old, declared he didn't want a haircut and is just sticking with it.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Meg

There was another case of this about a year ago.   In that case, the kindergartener had short hair with designs cut into it.   It looked like they had cut his whole head using a number 2 razor (maybe a 3?)  and then cut out other bits to make designs.  They looked like swirls and curlicues to me.  If the designs meant something, I missed it.  I wish I could find a picture.

Anyway, that kid got the same treatment.  His haircut was deemed inappropriate and disruptive.  I didn't see what the big deal was.   Of all of the things to worry about with kids, why fuss about hair?quote>

The whole idea of having short buzzed hair with parts shaved off completely to make designs is not unheard of. I remember when I was in 1st grade there was a kid not in my class but in one of the other classes who had Mickey Mouse shaved into the back of his head. To my knowledge, he never was given any trouble over it. Most of the other kids (myself included) thought it was pretty cool, and a couple of the younger teachers/aides had even expressed such opinion.

Then again, as far as I recall, my school district never had any rules about haircuts in its dress code.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

This is very petty. I have seen photos of the parents and think that there is something wrong with them. It is extremely easy to get a haircut. This should not be newsworthy.

[Chptrk 86]

I don't pop in here often, but the words long hair drew me in.

This is just plain crazy and I'm 98% sure illegal! 

First, I love my hair, I hate haircuts. I like my hair long, cuz it's me. The first amendment gives me freedom of expression, so long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Last I checked, if my hair isn't hurting anyone else in my school, then I see no way for it to be hurting 4 year old kids. 

First Texas outlaws tight pants, now long hair. Oh well, I would never want to go there anyway.

[Yonk 2]

This isn't anything new. I've heard of silly reasons to ban a child from school many times before. I wonder why they don't just concede that they want a dress code and uniforms, instead of trying to sneak up on the idea like this.

What really bothers me is that they even HAVE "prekindergarten" classes, and that parents of 4-year olds feel the need to send their kids there. After all, it's never too early to start studying for those SATs!!

[Larks2242 251]

And they say everything is bigger in Texas.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Chptrk

The first amendment gives me freedom of expression, so long as it doesn't hurt anyone.quote>

 

errrm  . . . Actually the first amendment says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.quote>

I suppose you could call a haircut freedom of speech but that's a bit of a stretch.

But I agree, the haircut is harmless and the school needs to get over itself.

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[mightygoose 92]

i don't mean to sound unpopular here, but, this is no different from the school prohibitng the wearing on of excessive jewellery, or applying a uniform policy.

If the school has a no long hair policy on boys, which is perfectly within its rights, and pupils fail to adhere to it, then sending the children home is a perfectly valid thing to do. in the UK boys arent allowed long hair at most primary schools (4-11), if a kid comes in with long hair, he is told to get it cut, or get sent home every day.. simple.

i mean would you object to a teenager being sent home for not coming into school in uniform????

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: mightygoose

i mean would you object to a teenager being sent home for not coming into school in uniform????quote>

The answer to that question is not as simple as you think.  Many, if not most, schools in America do not require students to wear uniforms.  and, if they tried, they would be met with considerable resistance. 

School dress codes have changed a lot during in my part of the country (other areas are probably different).  In elementary school I was required to wear a dress or skirt.  Pants, in any form, were prohibited for girls.  (Try walking a mile to school in freezing weather with bare legs.  and not, I'm not talking about the uphill both ways joke.)

By the time I reached middle school, we could wear pants but not jeans.  Boys' hair could not be long enough to touch their collar and they had to be wearing a button down shirt.

By the time I reached high school, the hem of a girl's skirt had to be lower then her fingertips when her arms were hanging straight by her side.   Both genders wore T-shirts and jeans.  Girls were not allowed to show cleavage.

These days, it is not uncommon to see boys who have to hold their pants up as they walk since they would fall down around their ankles if they didn't.   The girls often wear tops with spaghetti straps and show lots of cleavage.  Unless they are wearing a t-shirt and a hoodie.

There are some schools that are fighting back against this trend.  A friend's son attends a school where he is required to  pants with a belt (black, blue, or khaki) and a polo shirt (red, white, or blue).  He can wear them in any combination he wants to on any given day.  but his school is not the norm.

Not the norm for public schools, I should say.  Private schools usually require uniforms.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No school I ever attended had a stated dress policy. There was an understood one in my highschool (1950's). The school had three divisions and it worked like this:

Stream	Boys	Girls
Technical	A shirt and Jeans	A top and skirt or slacks
Academic	A shirt and slacks	A blouse and skirt
Commercial	Shirt & tie with slacks	Blouse and skirt

[Duke87 1,070]

Following up from before... the student handbook from my high school is available online.

Here's what it has to say about the dress code:

Student Dress Code

The Board of Education encourages students to dress in a manner

that reflects pride in and respect for themselves, their school,

and their community. To promote a positive, safe and nondisruptive

learning environment, proper attire should be worn.

Therefore, the following attire is prohibited from being worn in

Stamford Public Schools during the academic school day:

1. Attire or accessories which portray disruptive or obscene

writing or pictures;

2. Attire or accessories that depict logos or emblems that encourage

the use of drugs, tobacco products or alcoholic

beverages;

3. Shirts and/or blouses that reveal the abdomen, chest,

breasts or undergarments;

4. See-through clothing;

5. Shorts, miniskirts or pants that reveal the upper thigh or

undergarments;

6. Other attire or accessories, which, in the opinion of the

principal, are not in good taste or depict vulgar, illegal, racial

or sexist viewpoints;

7. Head covering of any kind including, but not limited to

scarves, bandannas, masks, kerchiefs, hoods, etc. which

prevent the easy identification of students during the

school day. Headwear for bona fide religious reasons may

be worn; Students are not permitted to carry hats;

8. Footwear that damages floors or is a safety hazard;

9. Sunglasses (unless required by a doctor's orders);

10. Spiked or studded bracelets, oversized or multi-finger

rings, belts or any other article of attire with spikes or

studs attached.

11. Gang colors as identified by administration.

12. Jewelry or any other object that depicts gang affiliation.quote>

So, yup. Nothing about hair. Nothing about uniforms, either (we don't do that in America).

And, in my experience, the only one of those guidelines that was ever strictly enforced was the one about headgear. Yes, they wouldn't bother you if your shirt was showing a little skin on the midriff, but they'd yell at you to take your hat off. For whatever reason, that was what they made an issue out of.