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ACLU and GPAC have accepted my case against my school for discrimination!
My school wouldn't let any males with long hair in to any extracurricular activities, their reason being that they didn't want any long haired males representing the school. I've even gotten in trouble for writing to the Illinois Congressman. They said that I had disrupted the chain of command.
Anyway, Thanks to all of you who had given me advice and especially Robert who told me to contact GPAC and ACLU.
Also, I have some students in my biology class, also on the football team, who are trying to start a petition to force me to cut my hair, any opinions on this?
A petition to make you cut your hair?!
They'd have to pry it from my cold, dead scalp!
I say good work for sticking it to them over there. I can't believe they wont let you take part in extracurriculars because of hair! I can't imagine that happening in my state. Then again Illinois is a ways away.
Anyhow, don't let them give you grief over "disrupting the chain of command." I'm guessing they would never have taken you seriously if you hadn't; they would have given you the run-around.
Well you certainly wouldn't make a good poster boy for anti-discriminatory practices if you bent to the pressures to cut your hair. It seems writing a petition is very legal -- part of free speech/right to assemble etc.. but you aren't requred to follow it. If every other person in the school wanted you to cut your hair, they wouldn't have the right o make you. (The fine distinction here between freedom (rights based, indivudually centred) and democracy (a.k.a. mob rule, group centred).
Shawn (Mr. Crow)
(http://www.myspace.com/manlocks) - Mr.Crow's photo archive of growing hair
Disrupted the chain of command??? Is this a miltary school or what?? It is your right as an American citizen to write to whomever you please! They're just mad that they're gonna look like fools! As far as I've heard, they can only prevent you from extracurricular participation for poor grades. WHEN you win the case and represent your school, I hope that you will be awesome and let them know how ridiculous they are. Represent all us longhairs well!!
Lon
Lupi,
Never forget this is the home of the free and the land of the brave where we practice ruggedindividualism, as long as no one is out ot step.
It would be helpful to know what school, what town, what state. If a private school, you are there by choice. If a public school you have a stronger claim.
Remember that ACLU is organized by "state affiliates," and you should be communicating directly with your state affiliate. Each has a legal officer, who knows the presedents in your state.
Whatever you do, do not give in. You have a right to wear your hair like the founders of our country: Washington, Jefferson, Fanklin. Why would your fellow students want to behave like prison guards or fascist governmental officers? Short hair in the US only became the norm during WW II when so many inductees were discovered to have head lice that the best way known then was to get rid of the hair.
More could be said.
Caledonian
I go to Granite City High School in Granite City, Illinois. It's public and I'm only there because I have to.
They want me to be able to play, thats why they're (trying) to start a petition. Though I, nor any male with long hair, am not allowed to play in any game or event, we are however allowed to practice as much as we wantso long as the general public doesn't see us. They've seen how hard I've worked and they know that I won't cut my hair by choice, so they are trying to force me to cut it.
Don't worry, I won't back down, I have been fighting this since August and I'm not going to quit now.
Lupi--
This sound like Fun. What an Ideal state IS iLLINOIS for this conteSt, since Illinois is usually beyond the rest of the country in celebration of civil liberties.
Do you want me to contact the Illinois affiliate of the ACLU for you?
I have some friends who are full professors at the U of I in C-I who could make your school board look like the troglidytes that they are. As a matter of fact, humble, provinicial southerner than I am In NC, I know all sort of influinciental people in your great state of Illinois who will come to your rescue.
Do not back down.
However, I am going out of the country from 13/12 -- 13/ 30 to visit the communist country of Viethman which I do not believe has hair length rules At least on my current visa they raised no objections and I will inquire about laws while I am there. Isn't it interesting that in this country which proclaims to be the cradle of liberty that we have become the prison of conformity.
I can't do anything till I get back, but DO NOT BACK DOWN, AND KEEP US INFORMED.
cALEDONIAN.
Yes I would appreciate it if you can talk to those people for me. and don't worry about me backing down, I haven't given in since I started this in August and I'm not about to quit now.
I grew up in Southern Illinois, so I can empathize. I can also see that their rule would serve no purpose in such an environment.
Granite City is a small town. Everyone there is going to know you have long hair whether you are on the team or not. There is no closet for longhairs; keeping you off the team is not going to keep the citizenry from knowing there's a longhaired kid in town, so the rule is pointless. The townfolk see you and your mane every time you go out.
Bill
Hooray for you for standing up for you Rights. Please keep the board posted. It's hard to believe this sort of thing still exists. Back in 1973 when I played, or should I said made the team, for football, the coaches made me quit because of my long hair and it even was legal as far as the school went it's just Coaches wanted shorter hair. I have been turned off by sports ever since then. Now the main Coach is the school districts Superintendent. Way to go Mr. DICK WALTON!!! I certainly hope your REDNECK views have changed...
G-O
What tha hell? If I were you, I´d tell them to shove that petition up their ass. This is the 21st century, you can have your hair any way you want.
Dont give up mate , you are a longhair , and longhair rules :)
dont let the petition make you to cut your hair !
and... er have you considered changing school ? lol yours seem to be a fascist looking one :/
My hair Journal
You must have some hair to inspire people to actually write a petition for you to cut it. I'm not sure how accepting your teammates will be of you if you are forced on to the team and it may be a really bad experience for you because I doubt they're going to have a change of heart anytime soon. I would look into changing schools if I were you, you seem to have a lot of enemies at this one.
My hair isn't that bad, Its about the middle of my back and a golden blonde color. Actually, I was allowed to practice as much as I want on the football team, I was just not allowed to play in a game, and I was at practice every day. The players have seen how hard I've worked and want me to play. thats why they're trying to get me to cut my hair. Yes they are idiots.
Also, I do have alot of people who hate me in this school and I've tried to switch but my parents won't let me.
Sounds like the stakes are getting high now. I sure hope you don't crunch in and cut your hair a single inch! It can be somewhat of a consolation to you to reflect upon how something so simple as your harmless hair has caused such an uproar among some of those who have not been able to see how stupid it was to prohibit you from playing. How could some blond hair make any team look bad? It is quite inconceivable really that things like this happen over and over and over again. It is no wonder that many who are only a little different and do not fit the mold time and again "check out" of the system and go other ways. My God, what does your school treat kids like who have other differences -- do they turn over some kid's wheelchair or something or lynch gay kids?
I am pretty sure that I would have told the coach and whoever else was keeping me from playing what he could do with the entire football team and how to do it.
Further, your head and the hair on it is not a democracy. It is a monarchy ruled by you. If they do hand you a petition with all the school's signatures on it, I would rip it up right in the face of whoever handed it to me. Sorry, but hearing stuff like this pisses me off! Whoever signs a petition to get you to cut your hair is a G.D. idiot.
Have these people never seen an NFL game? Alot of the pros wear their hair long! It's so glorious to see that long hair flowing as a player sprints for the endzone!
You're in a battle of wits with unarmed morons! I can't wait to hear how it turns out!
Lon
This bigotry makes my stumach turn
John the baptist in the Bible was a Naserite and they had long hair to the ground!
Keep on fighting and don't let them make you cut your hair.That school is still in the dark ages of the dinosaurs.
You have the support of me and my wife Loretta.
Birdman
Never forget that you are fighting for more than just the right for a student to have hair of his choosing and still take part in athletics. Any time you stand up to the system, question the norm, and dare to take action you are fighting for justice in many areas. Your struggle helps those who are homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual. You are fighting for religious freedom. You are supporting women who work for a sexist boss, and poking holes in company policies that say men can't wear earrings. You are standing against all sorts of injustices in our world.
Even if you lose the battle, your courage enboldens the war. You are fighting for us all, and for that you have my respect and gratitude.
Mouse
I get the impression from your post that the reason that they are starting the petition is that you have proved you belong on the field with them, and they see this route as the easiest route to get you to play.
I might suggest encouraging them to go ahead with a petition. Tell them you will do everything possible to play if they petition the school and school board to allow you to play without cutting your hair. Then you are still fighting for the same goal, only you will have a number of students on your side helping you out. The petition can go to the entire student body; once a majority have signed then bring in the news cameras (if they have not already picked up on this) and go forward with the ACLU/GPAC.
If handled properly, this can be a win-win situation for you. You get to keep your hair, and your fellow students are petitioning for you to do so and play football. The ACLU/GPAC can handle the legal aspects.
Big George
It's insane that this stuff still goes on. These people are living in another century.