This is just stupid

[Soterios]

the thing is, if there is a dress code and the parents did agree to abide by it, they are in violation of a code they knew about.

Fighting it or trying to change it may be one thing, but when you know the rules going in, well, you know the rules going in.

No sympathy if that's the case.

+1

[wilomn]

A lot of you are missing a really important point.

It's not about this one kid.

Lots of schools have dress codes which the parents are well informed of prior to children starting school. There may be uniforms and restrictions on personal appearance.

If you don't like that there are other options.

You don't have to send your kids to public school.

I'm ASS uming they knew the rules and chose to disregaurd them.

This is something with which I have some personal experience.

This is also why I have NO sympathy for them and think that they, the ones who violated the rules they agreed to abide by and are now making their child face the consequences of their greedy actions, are wrong.

If you want to go in swinging, something with which I also have some familiarity, it's not cool to use your kid as your weapon.

[mainbutter]

I spent most of my public education career in Texas and Louisiana.

Yeah, they have the strictest dress codes in the nation.

I put up with it, no big deal, just get the kid a haircut. It's really dumb, but it is what it is.

[Jay_Bunny]

Unless there is a health risk (dirty hair, chewing on/eating hair, parasites, etc) I don't believe in forcing a child to cut their hair. My brother had long hair for a long time before they cut it. I think he was around 5-6.

If long hair is considered a distraction, so much so that it requires cutting, then I believe it should be required of ALL STUDENTS, regardless of gender/sex. There is no difference between long hair on boys and long hair on girls in regards to distraction. This is one of those "boys play with trucks, girls play with dolls" things. Boys, traditionally, have short hair. Girls, traditionally, have long hair. I can't stand this stuff, and the fact that they were willing to expell a child only because he won't cut his hair is horrible. A child, who is willing to go to school, behave, get an education, is going to be kicked out of his school and made an example of only because his hair is a few centimeters too long. Now, if this boy was bringing guns to school, being violent with classmates, or was failing out of school, I could see how actions would need to be taken, but HIS HAIR?

And THIS is one of the reasons I am going to home school my kids!

[wilomn]

Unless there is a health risk (dirty hair, chewing on/eating hair, parasites, etc) I don't believe in forcing a child to cut their hair. My brother had long hair for a long time before they cut it. I think he was around 5-6.

If long hair is considered a distraction, so much so that it requires cutting, then I believe it should be required of ALL STUDENTS, regardless of gender/sex. There is no difference between long hair on boys and long hair on girls in regards to distraction. This is one of those "boys play with trucks, girls play with dolls" things. Boys, traditionally, have short hair. Girls, traditionally, have long hair. I can't stand this stuff, and the fact that they were willing to expell a child only because he won't cut his hair is horrible. A child, who is willing to go to school, behave, get an education, is going to be kicked out of his school and made an example of only because his hair is a few centimeters too long. Now, if this boy was bringing guns to school, being violent with classmates, or was failing out of school, I could see how actions would need to be taken, but HIS HAIR?

And THIS is one of the reasons I am going to home school my kids!

Ok, I'll give it one more go.

You do realize that this isn't about that kid and his hair, right? His hair is not the issue, it's the rule having that hair breaks that is the real issue.

It's breaking a rule that the parents agreed to abide by that is the issue, not the reason for the rule. The reason for the rule is not relevant to this. If you want to change the rule, that also is not relevant to this.

The only issue here is that the parents are using their child to flaunt a rule, dumb though it may be, that they agreed to uphold when the put their child in that school.

The school is perfectly within it's rights and should take actions to bring them in line with the guidelines they have set out.

Make an exception for him and his hair and what's next?

You know there will be a next if an exception is made for him, right?

[mainbutter]

This is one of those "boys play with trucks, girls play with dolls" things. Boys, traditionally, have short hair. Girls, traditionally, have long hair.

Like it or not, thats the way much of the country is.

There is a legitimate argument that a boy having long hair is a distraction, simply because it is not the norm.

I don't agree with it, but there you have it.

We've come a long way in the last 60 years. That's not all that long for so much social change. We'll keep at it as a nation, and maybe by the time you decide to have kids whenever that may be, they won't have to cut their hair short. There already are plenty of school districts that allow boys to have long hair, facial hair, and even crossdress.

[BPelizabeth]

Sorry I don't think dress code has anything to do with length of hair and still think it is sexist and discrimnating unless you say everyone. If they want to say it has to be a "normal" color that is one thing.

And Im not sure about MN but in AZ.....I would say longer hair is more the norm in young MS boys....at least at my school and most the younger boys on the Disney and Nick network. Just me though......

[accidental777]

I live in Minnesota nowadays. I got to watch my little brother go to school here, and realized that it is way less strict. No dress code, no uniforms, and it didn't matter what length your hair was. He actually spent his last high school years looking a lot like Zakk Wylde lol.
I spent most of my school years in Texas and Louisiana. It was strict, but from that I gained self discipline. I missed it. It was a shock to my system to move up to Kansas for my last 2.5 years of high school. No uniforms, the band sucked, kids didn't have the same respect for teachers, and PDA everywhere. Kids were making out in the hallway between classes. For me that was just a big no no, if we had done anything like that in Louisiana we would have been punished.
All in all, I would say I am on the fence here. I have spent time on both sides of the fence, and can't really say that I like either one. A happy medium would be nice though.

[withonor]

Like it or not, thats the way much of the country is.

There is a legitimate argument that a boy having long hair is a distraction, simply because it is not the norm.

I don't agree with it, but there you have it.

We've come a long way in the last 60 years. That's not all that long for so much social change. We'll keep at it as a nation, and maybe by the time you decide to have kids whenever that may be, they won't have to cut their hair short. There already are plenty of school districts that allow boys to have long hair, facial hair, and even crossdress.

Kids don't know what "normal" is.

Like it or not, "the way" isn't a good enough reason for me.

Just to be clear, the rest of this isn't directed at you.

This is about adults forcing their children to think a certain way instead of learning, emphasis on learning-the key ingredient to a solid education, on their own when presented with a plethora of ideas. Unfortunately most parents want their children to be just like mommy and daddy.

America is supposed to be a "melting pot" of cultures, religions, ideas, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc... So having these silly little rules to try and maintain normality is ridiculous.

There must not be any children at that school from a culture that wears turbans because that child might be faced with removing it and having to get a hair cut to fit in or face expulsion. How absurd would that be.

Ok, I'll give it one more go.

You do realize that this isn't about that kid and his hair, right? His hair is not the issue, it's the rule having that hair breaks that is the real issue.

It's breaking a rule that the parents agreed to abide by that is the issue, not the reason for the rule. The reason for the rule is not relevant to this. If you want to change the rule, that also is not relevant to this.

The only issue here is that the parents are using their child to flaunt a rule, dumb though it may be, that they agreed to uphold when the put their child in that school.

The school is perfectly within it's rights and should take actions to bring them in line with the guidelines they have set out.

Make an exception for him and his hair and what's next?

You know there will be a next if an exception is made for him, right?

Who wrote the rule? Maybe it was applicable 5, 10, or 20 years ago but is it applicable now? The reason for the rule and wanting to change the rule are completely relevant to this.

Remember that rule that African Americans had to sit in the back of the bus and give up their seats to white people as needed? Then one day Rosa Parks found a courage beyond commendation and "disobeyed".

I think both instances, the kid with a hairstyle and a woman on a bus, are equivalent though history may not represent it that way. In both cases a group was enforcing their beliefs on unwilling participants and someone stood up for what they believed in against the will of the masses.

Wearing a uniform is one thing but having any say in the physical features of a child or person is completely different.

If an exception was made for the child, who is the responsibility of his parents for the first 18 years of his life and at that age doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, and is allowed to go to school without missing a day or suffering any other adverse effects from the situation, nothing would happen. Now that he's been out of school for a month or more and away from the friends that he misses, he is suffering and will most likely have long term pscychological effects. I can't say good or bad because who knows, maybe he'll turn out to be the politician who gets gay marriage passed on the federal level since he's being persecuted for so long as a child. But obviously the child isn't important here......................

What is a rule about hairstyles like? Maybe red or brown hair is distracting, so children should have to bleach it. Black or blue or green eyes are distracting so make sure they have blue contacts before the first day of school. If your skin is too tan or dark, find some make up or paint. Now that everybody matches (Yay!) there will be no distractions in class. Wait, didn't somebody try that....?

[Capt._Howdy]

you know what i have a 2 year old son and we havent touched his hair i dont think it should be in a schools dress code how long has to be or what style what ever happen to freedom of expression.. i think it should be up to the parents on how a childs hair should be not the schools.