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Heard about this case where two children were suspended from a Christian school in the north west for refusing to trim their hair. I'm with the kids. They shouldn't have dress codes in schools, or anywhere else
luke
Hi Luke,
I'm surprised that this kind of aggravation still exists in our days - where's that school, and what Christian denomination do they claim to belong to?
By the way, there was a brief doctors' strike in Germany, and several of the male journalists who covered it have long hair - I'm quite certain at least some of them are staff journalists rather than free-lancers... I'm sure your "ecological niche" exists - both in Britain and abroad. Good luck!
Hans-Uwe
I can totally relate to this.
I grew up in a Christian school, K-12.
I read the FAQ today on this board, and toward the end, I read the part about "born longhairs". That was very interesting. The funny thing was, it felt completely like me and my personality. I feel that my hair is my personality. And about "born longhairs", I've been wanting to grow my hair out since 6th grade, but couldn't til I graduated.
It's really sad things like this exist, and the way the so-called "Christians" feel about the situations is that they're right and that there's no other way. They're very steadfast in that, umm, very wrong belief of theirs about long hair being wrong. Tis sad, and close-minded too. Most of the folks who believe in that kind of stuff seem to be older people who were raised that way, whose parents told them that, so I doubt if they'll ever waver from that belief.
I don't know what can be done about it though.
I don't know that there is much that can be done, apart from living our own lives as decent, tolerant, people, and hope that rubs off on others :-)
Nothing out of the ordinary here, hairmonster.
I went to a relatively strict, conservative catholic school and hair policies were no exception. That's the rule. If you don't like it go to a state run school. I know it does suck and it is stupid but that is the certain image of a "clean cut gentleman", the image they want to portray to the local community and uphold. Grooming , hair and uniform were all strictly enforced. They didn't want kids walking around with grungy haircuts or long unkempt hair. It is only after my post-years of schooling that i am finally able to grow my hair out. Suspension is the most common punishment for failure to comply to the hair policies. I say the policies are there for a reason but i did wish i could grow my hair in school.
I wanted to join the police force but long hair is forbidden, gave that the flick a long time ago but i suppose it is the same reason like why schools ban long hair.
same here--but at my old school, the guys had to keep their hair above their collar and well kept while the girls had to wear scarves. i hated wearing that uniform lol, but looking back i found it easier for me to get ready in the morning knowing i didn't have to pick out what to wear the previous night since it was always the same lol and just like you, i'm only just beginning to let my hair (even though it's been over a year).
He should come to Taiwan, if any public school here tries to force a haircut you can sue them.
Actually, they have a point. Dress codes are fine, providing they are even handed. Also, bear in mind that dress codes and uniforms put everyone in the school on an even footing; this can be used to help reduce bullying and reduces pressure on parents to buy the latest high-cost fashion clothing.
Besides, once old enough, people can and should do as they please.
So while I agree with you on an emotive level, I can see the school's point of view on a pragmatic one.
I sort of half-agree with you. Dress codes in themselves aren't too bad. Having a double-standard for boys and girls is though. It's discrimination based on sex. Seriously, does long hair on a boy make the boy more prone to violence, drugs etc than a girl with long hair? Realistically it doesn't.
If all the kids have uniforms then the
comments will migrate to other areas...."My parents live in the
rich part of town while you're parents live in the poor part
of town." or "My parents have a Mercedes while your parents
don't even have a car."
I don't agree. I think the man that summed it up best was Rhodes Boyson. Do you remember him? He was a fearful old reactionary, very strongly in favour of school discipline and uniforms, and he got a lot of press at one time. However, when he was asked about hair he said that he didn't agree with enforcing haircuts because hair is something that you have to take home with you at the end of the day, or some words to that effect. He was 100% right on that point.
I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with his view that school children should all have to wear uniforms, but at least uniforms are something that people can live with up to a point. IMHO haircuts aren't, although YMMV. No-one ever told me to get a haircut in school, and if they had done I would have told them were to get off. Seriously. OTOH, whilst I didn't like wearing a uniform I still wore it, or at least until I was 16.
Being a teacher with waistlength hair, I agree with you. But there are many other reasons for dresscodes that are backed by a lot of research. I totally disagree about the notion that there should be no dresscodes in schools.
I agree. Death to dress codes!
