NHdisneylover
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2007
Wow. I am actually rather stunned by how many people feel a PUBLIC school in the USA should be able to dictate a child's hair length Obviously I disagree with the rule and the school's stand. Not knowing the motehr or boy I have no idea if the boy really cares about his hair style or not to decide if the mother should be fighting this at this time (I do know my son was very particular about his hair style and dress even at age 3 so it IS possible the kid cares).
A few things touched on in the thread:
Braids--it sounds from the description as if the 'braids' teh district will accept are what are often called cornrows. These DO hurt to get just watch all the kids crying on Castaway Cay while they have their hair done to know this. Also, if the mom does not know how to make them it could be expensive to pay for them.
People keeping saying that rules are rules and to enroll him in another school. I would totally agree IF this were a private school. It is a PUBLIC school (in a country which, thankfully) requires that all children get an education. So, essentially you are saying the state has a right to force this mom to pay for her son's education (either by paying for private school or for items needed to homeschool, plus loss of income to do so) if she does not want to cut his hair into a state approved haircut I just can't see going there at all.
TRUE STORY
My children began attending a German puclic school this fall. Before we went shopping for school clothes I called my friend and I asked her if she knew how I could find out what the school dress code was. She didn't understand what I meant. I gave her examples from the dress code in our district in New Hampshire (which is a basic code, shorts and skirts longer than finger tips, no profanity on clothing, no uderwear showing, only natural hair colors). She was fascinated and asked how can a public do that in the land tha pride itself on being a FREE country? She said not to send them naked or in obscenity covered clothing of coruse but beyond that the German schoosl were not trying to control how kids look.
Fast forward a few weeks and somewhow the issue came up in DD's class (they talk about all kinds of stuff--just to practice German sometimes). There are kids from 11 countries in her class. DD took in the handbook from New Hampshire. Everyone (teacher and kids) was shocked. Only the little girl from Iran had had a dress code at school before. Once again there was a lot of discussion of how it seemd contrary to other's view of America as a free country if the public school can control what color your hair is or how long your skirt is, etc.
A few things touched on in the thread:
Braids--it sounds from the description as if the 'braids' teh district will accept are what are often called cornrows. These DO hurt to get just watch all the kids crying on Castaway Cay while they have their hair done to know this. Also, if the mom does not know how to make them it could be expensive to pay for them.
People keeping saying that rules are rules and to enroll him in another school. I would totally agree IF this were a private school. It is a PUBLIC school (in a country which, thankfully) requires that all children get an education. So, essentially you are saying the state has a right to force this mom to pay for her son's education (either by paying for private school or for items needed to homeschool, plus loss of income to do so) if she does not want to cut his hair into a state approved haircut I just can't see going there at all.
Sadly it does not always work that way. Americans have found breaking the rules to be a good way to get them changed (or start a fight which gets even bigger changes) since at least the boston Tea Party. Women tried for years to work within the system to change voting laws, African Americans tried for years to change the Jim Crow laws, Honmosexuals have been fighting a long time to change marraige laws and it is not working. Obviously the length of a little boy's hair is nto nearly such a big issue as these things, BUT they are cases everyone is familiar with (lots of little things work like this too) to illustrate the point that you cannot always change a rule working within the system.If people think boys should be able to wear long hair to school, then they should work on changing the rules. I have nothing against long hair on boys. I just think people should do things without breaking the rules. Get the rule overturned, or whatever they need to do. If enough people have a problem with it, it seems like they could get it changed.
TRUE STORY
My children began attending a German puclic school this fall. Before we went shopping for school clothes I called my friend and I asked her if she knew how I could find out what the school dress code was. She didn't understand what I meant. I gave her examples from the dress code in our district in New Hampshire (which is a basic code, shorts and skirts longer than finger tips, no profanity on clothing, no uderwear showing, only natural hair colors). She was fascinated and asked how can a public do that in the land tha pride itself on being a FREE country? She said not to send them naked or in obscenity covered clothing of coruse but beyond that the German schoosl were not trying to control how kids look.
Fast forward a few weeks and somewhow the issue came up in DD's class (they talk about all kinds of stuff--just to practice German sometimes). There are kids from 11 countries in her class. DD took in the handbook from New Hampshire. Everyone (teacher and kids) was shocked. Only the little girl from Iran had had a dress code at school before. Once again there was a lot of discussion of how it seemd contrary to other's view of America as a free country if the public school can control what color your hair is or how long your skirt is, etc.