new thread
A link to this article was posted at LHC and I thought I would share it here. This just makes my blood boil.
One guy, Matthew, has been growing his hair for four years and refuses to cut. Good for him. I hope they all keep fighting this despicable policy.
Story from Dallas
This case must go to court.
This is ridiculous.
That principal is really stupid.
If towns were to stop receiving tax revenue from angry parents I bet this would stop. Or voting out school board members who make these idiotic policies.
That was basically me in high school as well (stupid private schools). I was the only guy in school with long hair, and by long I meant I had it just down to my collar, evenly cut all around. I was told to cut it every time it started resting on my collar, it was quite the annoyance. I always seemed to go along with it though, just itching to get out of that school (like I am now) and finally get it to the length I want. Without trims, I would have been growing my hair for at least 3 years now, but evidently, my plans were altered by a closed-minded administration. I've finally reached college and my hair is 12 inches long and growing, haven't taken scissors anywhere near it since May of 2007 :)
All I got to say for those guys is "fight the power."
This is an interesting case. I am glad however that the article included the fact that the guy with two feet of hair is also a straight-A student. It seems quite strange that the student, a senior, has attended this school for his entire high school career, grown his hair for the four years, and is now being asked to cut it in what appears to be his final semester before graduating. It's as if someone discovered this rule that sounds like a throw-back to the 50's and 60's and decided to enforce it almost like some personal vendetta against this student or this small group of young men who have long hair. Interesting too was the part about the guy who did cut his hair shorter, yet even that was not enough to satisfy the newly enforced, previously neglected policy.
In real estate, the principle of "adverse possession" gives someone who essentially occupies land for a given amount of time possession although the occupying party has no deed to the property. This kind of applies to this boy as he has grown and possessed this hair for a given period of time with the freedom to do so, but now a policy intends to take it away. I'd argue that he has the right to have long hair in spite of the policy requiring short hair due to the school's previous neglect at enforcement for the entire time of his attendance there previously.
I imagine that there are nearby schools who would love to have this student attending. While a court case would gain notoriety and probably have the school abolish the policy, the boy would be better off getting his education and moving on somewhere else rather than have the albatross of troublemaker hanging round his neck. But that's the thing, isn't it? To leave and let the issue lie both imply complicit agreement with the school's rule whereas the boy stated he was not in agreement with the policy at all.
Who can say what's best?
The principle in this area of the law would be called "estoppel", but it's the same idea. It is most often applied in cases such as where condo associations don't enforce rules so long that people rely on their non-enforcement. If the kid relied on the policy's not being enforced and chose that school, and if changing to another school would at this juncture cause a hardship, estoppel could be invoked.
I recall one case where courts said a private school was estopped from kicking out a student in the middle of the year who had long hair, when his family had paid non-refundable tuition for the whole year. The school had implemented the policy mid-year. In that case, the court gave an almost-immediate injunction. This student may be able to take a similar tack if there would be hardships in changing mid-year. The article said he had invested time in some programs that were not available at the offered alternative, as I read it.
Texas is the only U.S. state that has recently upheld public school bans against longhairs, so far as I know. Private schools in most states can impose such bans, but not in California, due to that state's Unruh Act. Unfortunately, this kid is in Texas.
The dispute is really not about hair, it is about power, of course. All anti-longhair rules are. It is an act against this student's social group.
Indeed, most school districts fret over kids dropping out, not about tossing out A students. Maybe this school's state testing results came in too high? [wink]
In all these cases the student is best off for himself to just leave if there is an alternative that is feasible. Court cases just take too long. The school environment will be a hostile one for him and also for the teachers and administrators who have contact with him until the case is resolved, or until he graduates, and cases can run on for several years. This inevitably means the student will graduate first. For the future of society, as contrasted to what is best for himself, it may be better to fight, but school is tough enough without having the extra burden of being under fire every day that you go there.
Bill
I had forgotten all about the concept of estoppel! I don't know how as I can't remember how many "estoppel letters" I had to prepare over the years at the bank.
What I find interesting is that a lawyer that one of the newspapers consulted told them that these rules are usually upheld and quoted one case that "even went to the Supreme Court of Texas". I'd bet money that once you appealed it beyond the Texas courts it would go the other way on 1st amendment grounds.
Why is Texas so backward?
Notice the spelling of the last name.
I was paying so much attention to the last name, I neglected the first. You may also want to inlude Bastrop ISD in your searches.
They will kick a successful student out just because he has long hair?!?
Oh my!!!!! D:
Land of the Free - save where petty minded bureaucrats get to have their way.
This needs to be fought.
Makes my blood boil too Jason.
Meanwhile I hope in the next 3 days that something IS brought-up that will make "Mr. Tyson" look like the fool that he is.
Justin~
People who enforce rules to this degree often have
some "dirty laundry" of their own. Maybe someone should
follow him around at a distance and attempt to catch him
doing something inappropriate. Get photos, get him sacked.
I have no sympathy for those type of people at all.
Scott
Hey Scott
You sure hit the nail right on the head with that one. I couldn't agree more.
Justin~
Jason,
Thanks for bringing that story to our attention. I really wish there was something we can do for them.
Since I was a kid I wanted long hair, but my father was completely against it. When I finally moved away and got a job, they insisted that I keep it short. It really seems silly in these days and times that long hair freaks people out so much, and yet nothing is done in regards to things that are actually eroding the youth of our society.
When I was a kid one of the reasons I wanted long hair was to prove to everybody that longhairs aren't bad people. They need to just get over it.
I have never thought anything less of anyone who had long hair. School systems need to get off their collective asses and start teaching...not enforcing dress codes that should have been off the books long ago.
Hang in there, kids. ACLU WHERE ARE YOU!!! Can you believe these kids will be denied an education due to the length of their hair...how f'd up is that?
Whew...glad I got that off my chest...sorry for rambling on...
Take care and keep it growin', y'all...and support our longhair brothers!
Brett
That just boils my blood.
This boils my blood too. I believe kids should have the right to self expression as well as adults. Growing up, I was denied my own self expression and this affected me. For the longest times, I couldn't even stick up for myself, made me depressed, and to this day, I am still angry and bitter toward incidents like this. I hated school with a passion growing up! Private schools that dictate how you dress. Come on!, I am here to learn, not to meet a client to propose a business deal! And if you failed to comply, you were threatened. Not cool at all! At least I proved all those bastards wrong that marked me to fail! Just because I am ADHD, have Aspergers, have / had some learning disabilities, and having almost ZERO friends does not give school staff the right to mark someone as a failure. I should have been encouraged on what I excelled at, but instead, any self esteem I had was extinguished.
I will give credit to Chesapeake Bay Academy, as they saw potential in me. Out of all my shitty years at school, I had a couple good years at CBA.
http://www.chesapeakebayacademy.org/
I did the last two years of high school through correspondence and overcame my learning disabilities. Best thing I ever did too!
IT'S HAIR PEOPLE!!!
I also think school uniforms are wrong too.
Being denied self expression during youth is not healthy and I can vouch for this. You can still learn respect and order while being free to be ones self. Sure, I bet a lot of people think I am freakish looking and very odd. Yet, I am well liked as I am very respectful to people, very easy to get a long with, compassionate and caring, and a very hard worker.
Sorry for the longish post, this just got my bowels in an uproar!
who said looking 'freakish' is a bad thing? Looking different and celebrating individuality and diversity is a good thing in my book! I don't have long hair just to look different but I don't mind that that's a side effect.
Hello ESDI, very eloquently stated, you are an inspiration to anyone to overcome adversity. Yeah, isn't it a shame that an A student would be subject so such an assine rule. I agree, attemps at stifling individuality can be truly damaging...it's a type of abuse in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a very conservative xian area. Showing any kind of individuality, and any hint of thinking for oneself is always a threat to these jerks. (I mean people in power) (of course I don't mean to imply that all conservative xians are jerks, so please I mean to offend no one...)
Bravo for you ESDI on your courage and success against the odds, and thanks to Jason for sharing this article.
Max
I felt much of what you did, Esdi. As a face blind kid, my hair and my clothing were to me like the face is to other people. Being told that the hair and clothing that I identified as "me" was unacceptable was like telling me that I was ugly. And making me appear otherwise was like taking a knife to my face.
Making everyone wear the same clothes (uniforms) was a major freak-out. When in such situations, and with the hair also dictated to all be the same, I could never tell anyone apart. Well, there was a good side. It got me out of the VietNam war. The basic training scene was so freaky that I had a nervous breakdown, and the Navy kicked me out.
A lot of asperger's and autistic kids have trouble telling other kids apart, as do face blind kids. Making all the kids in the school look alike puts these kids at a much greater social disadvantage than the large one they already face. Such rules should be outlawed as exacerbating those students' disabilities if for no other reason, and of course there are other good reasons, such as a person's right to freedom over his own body.
Bill
Someone could do a lawsuit invoking the ADA on these "everybody look alike" schools. Sound like I'm being funny but I'm not. A woman sued McDonalds for damages because her coffee was hot and won.
Such things among others cause a greater awareness of such issues
with the things Bill mentioned.
Kevin
I completly agree. They have no right to dictate what you wear, and they have to give you confidence. My school doesn't do that and that might be a reason I am struggling. I hate all schools public AND private.
They just tell you "Go study, you have to work before I can help you". Yeah, study what exacly?! My Spanish teacher is just like that. If you need help she just tells you to study just so you leave her alone. Maybe that's the reason why I am struggling, probably is. And when you come to tuturing in the morning very early, she makes you feel like an idiot saying things like "Wow you don't remember any of this?" Or she sighs every time I don't get somthing and makes me feel stupid. She only cares for herself. She's one of those preppy rich women who think they're better than everyone because they have money or somthing.
Math is the same way. He doesn't help, and when you ask for it, he makes you feel like you've never done math and you never will be able to do it. He just tells you to go study as well or you won't get anywhere. Yeah, STUDY WHAT EXACLY?! I'm trying to get swiched out of his class because he's such a terrible teacher and only cares about himself. He only wants to get what he has to get done, and doesn't care about us.
God I hate schools too.
Best Wishes,
Josh
It never does cease to amaze how some people will abuse a small amount of power, and this is a textbook case of petty tyranny.
Good comments about estoppel, but the way I read the article, it seemed like a new rule. In that case, it would certainly be reasonable--if they are determined to have this policy in the first place--to exempt male students with pre-existing long hair. That's a well-known principle known as a permitted non-conformity, or "grandfathering."
Obviously, though, the real message is that the school will control the bodies of its students. Sadly, this is only one part of a general trend in exercising control over students. "Zero tolerance", invasive searches, and drug testing are all part of the same mindset.
Chris
Actually, "estoppel" is the legal principle that underlies the not-so-legalese-ishly named process known as "grandfathering".
Bill
Interesting...I had thought the two were a little different, but I defer to your expertise.
Chris
Maybe I didn't word it so well. Trying again... People often implement grandfathering to avoid being sued by those who might sue on the basis of estoppel. The two are different, but overlap.
Bill
As an educator, I support zero tolerance of certain behaviors. Legal searches need to be done for the safety of other students (searches have turned up guns, etc in my district).
And drug testing to play a sport is fine in my book. Don't want the test? Then you can choose not to play. Playing a sport is a privilege, not a right.
But hair length is a different situation. I assume this is a public school down in Texas? I know up here in Ohio a public school could not get away with it.
I sure wish we had more control over some students. Too many parents have no control.
I am held responsible for how my students perform on the dumb tests Leave No Child Behind requires. Yet these same students have absolutely no consequences for how they perform. I sure wish schools had more control over students....
Hmmm...I considered deleting the last sentence of my post, since it wasn't really on-point anyway. I'm new here and not looking to pick fights.
I respect your opinion as an educator on those issues. I guess the thing that I'd like people to think about is when you do have all those things in place (necessary as they may be) in the name of good order or more control over the students, then a policy regarding male hair length probably doesn't seem like a big leap to those same administrators.
Thanks,
Chris
Oh, yes, we must leave no child behind on his quest to be President. Unfortunately for them, we don't hire very many Presidents. As for filling real jobs that actually exist, thank God for Mexicans.
Bill
So much for NO Child left behind. Should read "no child with
short hair that conforms left behind"
For our non American users you may have heard of the education
initiative pushed on schools by our wonderfully bright President
who uses such good grammer and pronunciation himself. Also listen
to his speaches and every other sord is "uh" obviously he was
left behind.
I'm not trashing all conservatives but most of them are like
these people in suburban Dallas not into individuals and
everybody should be like us. This kid is a straight A student and
they do this its's appauling.
Kevin
listen
That's word of course
Perhaps I was left behind also, maybe I should run for president.
LOL
Kevin
If this is a public school, isn't this illegal? You know, the whole anti-discrimination and first amendment thing applying to all public institutions funded by tax-payers?
It's a bit frustrating, but you couldn't ask for a better person to get hit by this: straight-A student, who's had long hair for years, who wants to fight it (and is willing to transfer!), and has his parents' support.
Imagine if, say, the only people with long hair had happened to be failing students. Or drug addicts. Or pushovers. (Imagine how the administration would look in these cases -- "we got the Trouble Students to get haircuts!".)
Or, imagine if *nobody* at the school had long hair, and they quietly added this rule, thus discouraging anybody from even trying to grow their hair out.
No, I'm excited. Either the administration is going to get the smack-down they so richly deserve for this (that's my bet!), or he'll transfer to a friendlier school, and it'll be a defining moment in his life, and it might just inspire others to stand up for themselves.
Go, hair guy, go.
I have similar stuff from one or two teachers in school, luckily for me, my mother can argue with the best of them xp.
I noticed long hair becoming less frequent since this ridiculous war started. That and the Columbine tragedy are bringing back 50s style conformity. People keep bringing up the Vietnam era where hippies allegedly spit on returning soldiers. If any hippies did spit on soldiers, which I don't believe, those were undercover FBI or local police agents that did that to give frame the anti-war movement.
Combine all that with all the "we support the troops" jingoism is fueling an anti-longhair backlash.