new thread
Still the scent is sweet.
We just got back from the elementary school.
This year have one son just starting kindergarten and another in the 4th.
For those new to this story last year we had all kinds of problems with the school board about my then 3rd grade son and his hair. He's an A student and in the gifted class.
We met the new principle the other night and I questioned him about my 5 year old's hair. He said it look okay now but we could talk about it.
Tonight he got to see my other son's hair, hehe. It's quite long. We had an at length discussion in the hall after meeting the teacher (who is a personal friend of my wife's). I asked him if we put it in a tail would he be okay with it. He said that that would be ok. He also said that there would be no "write ups" for hair and parents would be sent a letter first. He said that if we can keep it away from his collar we may not have to cut it. :-)!!! He also said something about maybe, keeping it in his shirt.
Then I saw the assistant principle. Yeah, the same one who give us all the problems last year. She has a new doo. I went over and spoke to her and complimented her hair. After a bit of small talk I told her what the principle said about my sons hair being in a tail. She agreed, immediately laid everything that happened last year on her superiors (meaning last year's principle). She said that the tail is what they're going to allow at the high school this year to get by the school policy and that I had "opened up a whole... thing last year."
We also talked about her son and how she hates his new buzz.
Lol, no Sh*t!!! Yeah!!! My head was so damn big I couldn't get in the car.
It's not the victory I hoped for but still, it's ground gained!
Hope everybody enjoyed this, I sure enjoyed posting it.
Paul
that is awesome dude ! :)
I'm thrilled by this news Paul. It was indeed a victory. It's no big deal to put his hair in a tail if that's all they're asking. You won!! Hopefully a precedent has been set for other districts as well.
Thats great, kinda.
I hope you keep pushing until they just drop the hair rules all together.
I'm lucky that as backwoods as it is up here in Hagerstown, there aren't any rules about it. Then again there is, and has always been, a weird balance of rednecks and "freaks" around here. Its really not something I can explain, you have to see it to understand how twisted this place is.
Anyway, I hope Jeffco comes around to the 21st century and gives up on the hair law.
~Jarvis~
Bravo, Paul!
Great story, and very good news. Keep up the good fight.
- Oren
Great job Paul, it's been awhile but I remember the story well and great job!!!! Congrats on sticking with it and making things right for all kids and parents in your area. Also my youngest longhaired son and I took a trip driving across the United States from Western Washington to the Coast of Maryland and had a great time. 5600 miles later my longhaired straight A student took 1100 photos and was the best travel companion I could have had. Seems the long hair hasn't effected his curiosity to learn, his humor or his grades. Luckly No issues with the schools here! Congrats on your accomplishment again!
Alright Paul! Keeping his hair in a tail is no big deal really. It's generally accepted that a ponytail is more professional looking, which is something schools like to promote (even at grade school level). I remember the only rules my high school in SC had was that you couldn't dye your hair a weird color, or have a crazy haircut like liberty spikes. The two main arguments the school had was professionalism and distraction to others. The argument that it would be a distraction to others didn't really hold up though. Kids can get used to some amazing things and after just a short while even looks that are extraordinary become ordinary and normal to them, causing no distractions at all. Heck the few distractions it may have caused would be momentary at best, and gone once people's curiosity is gone. But we really couldn't argue that their job was to educate us so that we could be come professionals after graduation. Pink and green mohawk hair doesn't go over so well in most job environments apparently, but long hair does in quite a few (which I assume is why they didn't have a problem with it). So congratulations, and I hope you keep up the fight until all the hair rules are gone, but I wouldn't push so hard that they start thinking about reversing their decision!
-CJ
Allowing him to keep it at all is a victory even if they require it in a tail. I did enjoy reading this Paul congrats and well done.
Kevin
Great to hear. It may not be everything you'd hoped for, but it's definitely progress. Just like other rights movements, you're generally not gonna win the whole issue in one stroke.
Congratulations, Paul! It's great to hear your son can keep his beautiful long mane, even if tied! I'm really happy for him, it was a shame your other kid had to get it cut for school...-.-
-Andrea
Hi Paul,
Well that's very encouraging news for the KMF clan and it's a step forward and it's a sorta workaround. One thing I don't get is about further than collar length. Does collars get inflected with longhair. I but there same rule don't apply to the girls.
I have to laugh at principle how didn't like their sons hair...rofl!
Good for you Paul, keep up the fight.
Cheers,
John.B
Congratulations on the fighting the good fight Paul, - and winning the battle, ok the war may not be over but hey it's a start!
We don't have these problems in my kid's school luckily, in fact there is one lad with cool blonde hair down his back.
Continued good luck,
~ Dave
Paul,
Great news! Glad to hear. Hope all is well!
Mike
Way to go babe. Woo Hoo!!!!!
In this thread I just noticed both you and Paul add "KMF" to your names. Out of curiosity, what does "KMF" stand for? "Keeping My Fur?" [g]
Bill
I've been wondering this too. I just figured that everbody else knew, so I didn't ask.
~Jarvis~
Okay, so just a little text
It stands for "Killer Mother-F#$ker."
Actually it stands for "Killa Mutha F*cka". You have to say it with an ethnic slant.
It's a nickname given to me by a guy I used to work for. I liked it and actually had some of my friends believing that it was my real middle name. Lol
Of curse when "normal" friends ask it, stands for "Kids, Mothers and Fathers".
I do like "Keep My Fur" as well.
Paul
Ahhh, I was gonna guess Kool Mother-F#$ker
LOL
~Jarvis~
I will never understand why the length of a childs hair is related to the childs retention of learning.
Are we more concerned about the appearence of the child rather than the lessons taught?
I have seen how some so called educators dress today, and how they wear their hair and many are a disgrace to the profession.
But god forbid that the children they teach does not wear their hair, or dress as dictated by single minded individuals, should deter from their education.
Are we more concerned about the appearence of the child rather than the lessons taught?
No, but plainly we're just as concerned. That's not so bad, but too many people confuse mode with quality, if you know what I mean.
They just instituted a new dress code for GA's two biggest counties (both here in Atlanta), at least for elementary schools. All of a sudden, I'm seeing a lot more khaki pants and red golf shirts in the morning. The uniforms may be voluntary, though--not everyone seems to be wearing them.
In any event, I might not be so hard on dress codes if they weren't universally used to reinforce a reactionary frame of mind. But that's easy for me (SPANDEX FOR EVERYBODY!) to say...
Yes!
People talk about "picking their battles" and then don't even fight them. This is different; you won the essential point, and you can be proud. Congratulations!
...I know a true victory would be that the "hair policy" be removed from the rule book, but you've gained important ground and that makes me smile!
Bruce