new thread
Long story short: Me and three others failed our GCSE exams (UK) back in May in our old school and just last week we joined a new school. Unfortunately we were made to REDO our 11th year again since our grades were more than just 'bad'.
Now, the principal entered the class just to make sure no one was absent or anything and called our names. After he called my name out and made sure I was here, he said 'What about your hair'? And I'm like 'Yes, what about it...?' feeling kind of nervous as to what he might say...
He told me and my three friends that we should cut our hair to 'zero' if we were to get into class again. Now, my hair isn't even that long as it's only been 8 months! I could now put my bangs in my mouth/behind my ears which I consider a milestone and now I have to cut it?
One of my friends has been growing for 11 months, another grew it from December '04 but trimmed it in the summer to just above shoulder length while the third friend has been growing for 19 months and puts it in a tail under a cap to be safe, yet the principal would have none of it and told us all to cut it by tommorow.
What the hell should we do? I mean, it's not a *****ng military school for us to cut it. And what the hell does 'zero' mean? Like, bald or a crewcut?
None of us will cut it tommorow and we'll try to avoid him from now on. We'll wait and see... =(
Well, I don't think he can actually make you cut it.
check your school rules, he prob thinks he has more power than he does.
You might get by in this situation without having to cut your hair off, or you might NOT, --- I don't know, since I'm no expert on how school rules and laws are in the UK. But, one thing I do know: since you yourself just said that your grades last year, "were more than just 'bad'."... then it's time to at least wake up and turn that aspect of your life around, --- and FAST.
I speak from experience when I say this: poor grades in school lead to a bleak future when you no longer have to attend school. And by the term, "bleak future", I mean that your choices of the kind of jobs you'll be able to get in order to support yourself will be the dried old crumbs from a nice dinner table that have fallen to the floor and get stepped on by the rest of the family. It's your choice: either focus on getting EXCELLENT grades this year, --- or face similar situations over and over again for the rest of your life that you are now facing today.
As far as what to do about your hair tomorrow... sorry, I can't help you with that. You got yourself into this mess, you'll have to figure out how to get out of it on your own.
- Ken in San Francisco
About my education, I'm usually a good student but since I don't focus that much in class, the average grades I ever get in my entire life are Cs, Ds, and some rare Bs... (of course, some worse)
I've done well in my last school as I've stayed there for 6 years, no problem. It's just that the exams I failed in were supposed to be the most important ones YET in my life and I'll admit I didn't feel like studying for them until the last 2 weeks before the exams...and even then I didn't focus that much on studying.
Still, thanks for the words, Ken. I've been hearing a lot of comments on my education these days and I can't blame them. ;P
Back to the hair though, if you're in a state school I would doubt there's very much they can do about your hair. If you wear a uniform (or even if you don't), I'd make sure that you look smart and well turned-out i.e. you're not pushing the boundaries with clothes as well as hair. If it's a private school then they can probably do as they wish.
Note for Americans : In England, private schools are private, public schools are VERY private and state schools are public!!
Yeah, three of us have never even had long hair before and I still haven't passed 8 months so I would RESIST cutting it.
PS. He has also told younger students to cut their hair but it seems as if no one listened. LOL
I'll move on and see what he does, since none of the teachers and other staff mind the hair which is good.
See my reply above concerning the hair.
And about the GCSEs, since I'm in year 13 and did my GCSEs two years ago, I can tell you this. Pay attention in class, do your homework on time, and I promise you won't need to study more than 10 hours per subject before your final exams. That's what I did, and I got straight A's, although I did drop Fine Art just in time, that one required far too much work.
The real problem comes with the A levels, where paying attention and doing your homework won't get you anywhere. There you have to study your socks off, and I didn't, so I got a mix of A's, B's, and I think a C in one of the modules for my AS. Needless to say i'm retaking all the Bs and Cs and won't repeat the same mistake again for A2.
All it takes for you is to study hard for the next three years, and you're future is made. If you don't, you'll regret it the rest of your life when you'll be counting money to buy a sandwich and have a job you hate.
Besides, if you start getting good grades, there's absolutely nothing this principle of yours can do, since he won't have any excuse to expel or otherwise punish you.
WOW, I was pretty tough with you in my initial reply; but, you took it well, --- far more maturely than I probably would have when I was your age. My best to you. Bill's advise about sticking together in numbers I feel is an excellent suggestion that will probably be your ticket to saving your hair. I hope this next year brings you great things, --- both in hair growth, and in awesome grades in school!
- Ken
One thing working heavily in your favor is your having three friends in the same predicament. If the four of you do decide to resist, you will have "strength in numbers". So many teens appear here with no "on the ground" support at all. Our experience has been that the support one gets on the Internet can only go so far, and to succeed one generally does need the support of others who are physically there. If the four of you stick together on a course, and work together to get the support of other students, parents, and people in the town, you have the best opportunity to prevail in this dustup.
Good luck with however you decide to proceed!
Bill
If it's a public school, he has no right to make you cut your hair. So his threats are empty since he can't enforce him. As soon as he tries to expel you or something similar for your long hair, he's breaking the law and you can at least try to report him to the authorities. Since this isn't America, suing is probably an expensive option.
Get your mother on the phone to him.
It worked for me Lmao! :D
Screw the man and screw the establishment! :)
He can't do this. Not in the UK. If this becomes a major issue, you could always take your GCSEs at a community college/college of further ed., because they won't give a rat's a*** how long your hair is. They do charge tuition, but AFAIK only starting the term after you are 18, and it's relatively low. I'm a little out of touch, having moved to the US long ago, but you could check it out.
It seems that many schools, the world all over, through time immemorial, have had these asshat principals. Control freaks that have the 'my way, or the higway', attitude. In your case, you apparently have the law, as well as fellow students, in your favor. There is strength in numbers, so as a group; protest this jerk's efforts to intimidate you, by collectively ignoring his demands, and refusing to adhere to them.
Carol
Marth,
School is an opportunity. Ally with your friends to support each other. Reading and study can be fun. The more you prepare yourself for life now, the easier it will be later.
With the principal, insist on your individual rights. If you are polite, and commit yourselves to study, I cannot imagine that (s)he would not grant you the freedom for self expression. I know that in the UK you have some recourse to individual freedom, but no one is going to be motivated to support your individual rights unless you are committed to your own personal development.
In my own view, long hair is not a rebellion against the best of coommunity and society, but rather an affirmation of individual freedom and equality for the rights of women, gays, and other minorities of self expression. Long hair and ear rings for men are best understood not as a rebellion against society, but rather a symbolic affirmation of the rights of individual expression in a healthy, just & fair society.
We Americans once sought our independence from you Brits over just such issues. Now I think generally speaking you Brits, having followed our example, are ahead of us in terms of human social evolution.
Don't let us down. Do your homework! Lead the way. Tell us that war is not the way, and that no one can ever make anyone do anything!
Caledonian
[you know where my (sic, joke) incestors came from]
Caledonian