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I don't have any problem with following rules. I was just amazed that in todays world a rule exists for this kind of haircut or any hair cut. In some cultures kids don't even get a hair cut untill they are of a certain age. Some people never or seldom have their kids get hair cuts. In addition people have been coloring their hair differant colors for decades now. Even at work I can find maybe a dozen women with hair tinted in colors from blue, red, pink, purple. The normal color is there but sections are colored to have this cool effect. In high school even guys are putting crazy colors in their hair. They make jell even that is color tinted.
I remember way back in the early 70's when guys had long hair. Sure I am in California on the coast but this is now the year 2013 and you would think that this kind of rule may have been abandoned by now. With popular culture, the internet, TV, and so many other avenues people from all over the nation, even in Ohio would find that a simple mohawk has even become main stream.
Saying all that, my wife and I do prefer that our kids have short hair. For the most part they like having short hair although instyle cuts for them.
I disagree with this. It's one thing for a parent to ignore the rule and then complain because they got caught, it's another to feel strongly enough about something to try and change the rule. Rules do change, especially silly rules if enough people care and are vocal and go about it the right way.
Interesting you think the child's family went about it the right way.
I'm in favor of kids deciding on their own hair. We don't need the hair police in public schools.
Back when I was in high school in the late '60s, they were dictating our appearance. But then a boy next year sues the school district to have long hair & still be in school. He even got a shrink to say he's not insane. The school district lost, the dress code was thrown out.
There was a 4 year old in preschool on Texas, hair something close to shoulder length. Story went viral on the net & probably many wrote the school. First they he must be in isolation away from his friends if he came back. But then they backed down & said he could attend & mix with the other kids. I almost wrote the school asking if he needs a military haircut at 4 years old, then does he get a gun at 5? But the school district was already shocked by all the complaints.
Interesting you think the child's family went about it the right way.
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What?? I don't think these parents went about it in the right way. They chose to ignore the rule. The right way to change something is to form a group of like minded parents and present it to the school board. Not break the rule, contact the media and confuse the heck out of your child.
The little boy is as cute as a button but I will tell you from experience a kid with that kind of haircut, at that age, if they were in my class would just make my heart sink. Or any other bizzaro hair do or color. They usually end up being behavior problems - it is a reflection of parenting choices. Sorry, just basing it on experience.
Then you need some more experiences!
I have never made an issue of my kids hair choices. They've attended private school, and a public charter, where there was no issue there either at either school. They (the older two boys specifically) have had short hair, long hair, spiked hair, mohawks, buzz cuts, liberty spikes, and pretty much EVERY color you can imagine, from highlighter yellow to aqua to flamingo pink.
I also never made an issue about clothing, as long as they were not wearing something offensive (no curse words on clothes or anything like that).. and it may sound like bragging (it is, I admit, but it is justified), but my two boys have been praised constantly from the time they were very young for being the MOST polite, respectful, pleasant, well liked kids in school, from teachers and students to other parents. I have had numerous parents say to me about boy boys "Hey, I'd love for your son to come hang out with my kid because I think your son would be a good influence!" I cannot tell you how many teachers, from pre-k through high school have said to me "I cannot express what an absolute JOY it is to have him in my class..."
They've even received "favored grandchild" status compared to their two cousins (from my ex's side), in terms of being praised for their good behavior when they are visiting, with mumbled comments about how the cousins are "atrociously behaved". Even though those same cousins always look like they just stepped out of a Gap kids ad. I know my ex mother-in-law is shocked that the tattooed white trash her son had the foolishness to marry managed to raise such great kids but she admits it!
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Originally Posted by AnotherTouchOfWhimsy
If kids are that distracted by a haircut that they can't learn, then there are bigger fish to fry. How stupid.
My kids' hairstyles have run the gamut from having purple streaks in naturally red hair, to my son having a mohawk. They learn in the real world (i.e. we homeschool) and no one has ever said a word about it, except for those giving them compliments. They weren't banned from any public buildings. When they're adults, they can choose to work in a career that wouldn't typically allow such expression (trial lawyers don't typically have green mohawks, for example), and at that point, they'd need to follow the rules of their employer or industry. Or they might choose to become hairdressers or tattoo artists, in which case having a fuschia streak now actually WOULD be preparation for their "real world." You just never know.
I agree. I hear so much blah blah blah about the "real world". With that thinking, why not just make them all start working as soon as they are legally able, charge them rent at age 16, eliminate all free time, make them walk to school, pay for their own clothes, food.. ? It's all about the "real world" then!
What's funny to me is that the older 2 have had the freedom to do whatever with their hair and they went through all the possibilities... but both of them ended up choosing really rather "boring", normal hair in the end. My 15 year old has no funky colors anymore (though it was pink at my wedding in 2011) and a pretty standard haircut, and my 21 year old hasn't had any "weird hair" since his senior year in high school, but by choice. I guess they got it out of their system. They are not stupid, they know that there is always conformity required in some ways with jobs and so forth. Just like my full understanding that I have to cover my tattoos for career purposes... and the reason why I don't have any that can't be covered.
The little boy is as cute as a button but I will tell you from experience a kid with that kind of haircut, at that age, if they were in my class would just make my heart sink. Or any other bizzaro hair do or color. They usually end up being behavior problems - it is a reflection of parenting choices. Sorry, just basing it on experience.
What's funny to me is that the older 2 have had the freedom to do whatever with their hair and they went through all the possibilities... but both of them ended up choosing really rather "boring", normal hair in the end. My 15 year old has no funky colors anymore (though it was pink at my wedding in 2011) and a pretty standard haircut, and my 21 year old hasn't had any "weird hair" since his senior year in high school, but by choice. I guess they got it out of their system. They are not stupid, they know that there is always conformity required in some ways with jobs and so forth. Just like my full understanding that I have to cover my tattoos for career purposes... and the reason why I don't have any that can't be covered.
My son is only five, but he's always had the choice to have whatever hairstyle/cut he wants, but he always chooses the most conservative, boring ones. lol This last time, he had an adventurous hairstylist that gave him bangs that swept over to the side...I was so nervous that he was gonna be freaking out. But we were able to flatten them out and still make it look even.
I base it on over 20 years of teaching in excess of 2,000 kids. Not sure how much more experience you want me to have. Sure there are exceptions, but my experience has been that those types of hairdos or strange colors on a young child is generally a sign of a certain parenting philosophy that tends to encourage a belief system that rules don't apply to them. Just saying.
I base it on over 20 years of teaching in excess of 2,000 kids. Not sure how much more experience you want me to have. Sure there are exceptions, but my experience has been that those types of hairdos or strange colors on a young child is generally a sign of a certain parenting philosophy that tends to encourage a belief system that rules don't apply to them. Just saying.
Are you referring to unusual hairdos and/or strange colors alone, or are you referring to parents who encourage/allow this in a school environment that explicitly prohibits it and then attempt to "fight" it? I think there's a big difference there.
I realize that, I always tried to judge each child on their own merits and tried to guard against the very thing that article purports. Quite a few of the ones with the "different" hair were also fascinating, incredibly bright, independent, and delightful children but you do see patterns.
However, I do have a question - knowing that having such a hairstyle might result in a teacher creating an expectation of misbehavior/poor performance, and such expectations have the capacity to morph into reality for your child, why would you set your child up for potential failure based on a hairdo? Say what you will about teachers being the adult or ought to be professional enough to not allow that to happen, the truth is they are human and most will not even realize they are doing it. I do wonder why parents would allow their child to incur that additional handicap when it need not be there. But, that goes back to what I said originally, a young child with a hairdo like that is a reflection of a certain parenting philosophy.
Are you referring to unusual hairdos and/or strange colors alone, or are you referring to parents who encourage/allow this in a school environment that explicitly prohibits it and then attempt to "fight" it? I think there's a big difference there.
I don't know because I never worked at a school that didn't have a dress code against unusual hair styles and colors. Odd hairstyles and colors really and truly are distracting in a classroom; if for no other reason than I have to make sure other kids don't pick on the kid with it.
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