Whose side are you on?

[Buckalew11]

The school.

I think the school would probably have problems with a boy with long hair also. It might be "properly groomed" for what it is but that does not mean it would under "properly groomed". I do think they should spell it out for parents and kids. Our school has pretty strict hair rules. Off the collar etc. and it is well spelled out.

I'm with P&W on this...that haircut is horrible. When I was in grade school there were twin boys who wore mohawks. When I see a mohawk I still think of "Jimmy and Timmy", LOL. Theirs was ugly too but it looked a whole lot better than this one.

I think the 3 strikes were all for his hair.

 

[kbkids]

I voted for the school.

There is a little boy in DS' school (1st grade) that has a mohawk. I feel bad for the kid, because honestly, he gets made fun of quite a bit by the other kids.

 

[RK in NJ]

My son started kindergarten this past fall and had a mohawk for a while. He asked for it when I cut his hair. He said he wanted a haircut like his Uncle had when he was in the Army or a mohawk- not spiked up just a strip of hair down the middle of his head. (We think he first saw it watching college football- it was apparently the thing to do this year.)

He is very shy to start with and knew no one at his new school because we moved into our town at the end of last summer. We never heard anything negative about the haircut from his teacher. (She did say that the girls all rubbed his head the first day he had the haircut, which he loved and still talks about.) I think if anything, he felt some positive results as the kids noticed him and got to know him.

I'm sure glad it didn't cause a problem, but of course if it was a problem and I was told as much by his teacher, he would have been a cue ball the next day. The great thing about hair is that it grows back...if you're lucky!

 

[shortbun]

I voted for the school, but only because they have it ( proper grooming ) as a policy. Honestly, I think it is much ado about nothing.

Proper grooming is a pretty generic term. They could decide they don't like your plaid shirt and send you home to get a plain one. The boy isn't dirty, kids need to express themselves in strange ways sometimes. I've offered to allow my son piercing and weird haircuts. He has declined thus far although his hair is below his shoulders right now. My grooming requirement is that he be clean and neat. No hair in the face. Hair washed daily.
Wonder if they have any boys with long hair at that school? Ya know, there's an uproar when a child first arrives with the haircut. After that, if nothing is made of it, school continues. The school has made a mountain out of a mowhawk.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's. We expressed ourselves with our appearance.

 

[KikiFan]

I just cannot see what is "distracting" or objectionable about a little boy with a mohawk. And frankly I think the school is crossing the line telling the kid he can't have it. I could see if it was bright green or something really distracting. But I just don't think a school has the right to dictate to that degree. What's the difference between a kid with a buzz cut and a kid with a mohawk? They are just two different styles.

I've noticed that bi-level cuts seem to be reappearing for girls. (One side longer the the other) Are the schools going to dictate that as well?

 

[Wishing on a star]

WOW... Just incredible...

It is in no way acceptable for a public government agency (or any individual within a public government agency) to dictate how one styles their hair!!!! (A private school/institution where the parent has made the choice to enroll is, of course, a different matter.)

How quick we are to give away the freedoms and rights, and the so called 'acceptance' and freedom of discrimination that so many Americans have given their lives for...

 

[LisaNJ25]

I agree with the mom and boy. Its not like its spiked up, 3 different colors and about to poke someones eye out.

I wonder if someone had corn rows they would make a stink.

 

[Christopher Robin]

WOW... Just incredible...

It is in no way acceptable for a public government agency (or any individual within a public government agency) to dictate how one styles their hair!!!! (A private school/institution where the parent has made the choice to enroll is, of course, a different matter.)

How quick we are to give away the freedoms and rights, and the so called 'acceptance' and freedom of discrimination that so many Americans have given their lives for...

I disagree. There are instances where the govt can tell someone how to wear thier hair. The US military comes to mind, as one example. And I beleive that public schools are another proper example.

 

[kimluvswdw]

I guess it would depend what the school policy is on grooming. If they knew the rules and broke the rules, then I would have to side with the school.

I am still not sure what a hair style has to do with a childs ability to learn.

 

[Charade]

WOW... Just incredible...

It is in no way acceptable for a public government agency (or any individual within a public government agency) to dictate how one styles their hair!!!! (A private school/institution where the parent has made the choice to enroll is, of course, a different matter.)

How quick we are to give away the freedoms and rights, and the so called 'acceptance' and freedom of discrimination that so many Americans have given their lives for...

Ever?

It's been held up in court that schools have the leeway to determine if something distracting to the educational process can be banned.

The debate is, is a hair "style" (any) a distraction? Shouldn't schools be allowed to make that determination? Legally they can.

IMO, a hairstyle falls under the category of dress code.

 

[paigevz]

I've had boys with mohawks and colored hair before. I don't find it a problem past the first day or half day. The kids get used to it quickly.

 

[Charade]

I've had boys with mohawks and colored hair before. I don't find it a problem past the first day or half day. The kids get used to it quickly.

This is precisely why the school needs "wiggle room". While you may not have experienced a prolonged distraction doesn't mean another teacher elsewhere hasn't.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

So, what you're saying is important, I think. Do you think this Mom got the same message you guys did? She probably did, so the real question might be..."why did she choose to pay to send her mohawk-lovin' son to such a mohawk-hatin' environment?"

She would have had to. They have many meetings with parents both group and one on one. They tell you what is acceptable and I remember that some parents asked hair questions. Now none of the parents when I was there asked about a mohak but many asked about length, coloring and other things and they came right out and said what was acceptable. My son has short hair but at the time liked the top spiked and was told that he could not have it spiked. I was more concerned about quality of education rather than hair since my son is defined by his character not his hair.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

WOW... Just incredible...

It is in no way acceptable for a public government agency (or any individual within a public government agency) to dictate how one styles their hair!!!! (A private school/institution where the parent has made the choice to enroll is, of course, a different matter.)

How quick we are to give away the freedoms and rights, and the so called 'acceptance' and freedom of discrimination that so many Americans have given their lives for...

This is a school that is part private funded and part public funded. It does require you to apply, meet certain academic standards, and pay a tuition fee.

 

[Heidict]

Now in what fresh hair hell can a mohawk interfere with the "conduct of education"?

Good way of putting it. If the schoolboard has a problem with mohawks then they need to list that in their rules. The rule that they are citing is to broad. Just about anything can apply to that if you twist it properly.

Needless to say, I'm siding with the mom and son on this one. Suprised though that she is heading for a lawsuit. In today's society it seems that's where everything ends up.

 

[poohandwendy]

If the schoolboard has a problem with mohawks then they need to list that in their rules. The rule that they are citing is to broad. Just about anything can apply to that if you twist it properly.

The thing is though, how can a school anticipate every scenario of inappropriate appearance?

I really would have been for the mom had the school not given two prior warnings before acting. They gave her enough notice that his haircut was determined to be inappropriate for her to make changes without unreasonable sacrifice. There is no way for them to know that they needed to include mohawks in their rules until a kids showed up with one, so they made a decision on it and let her know...twice. After that, I don't really have much sympathy because she was just trying to force the issue.

Unless a court decides they have no right to make a dress code or that the wording of their dress code isn't constitutional, they have the right to decide what is and is not allowed.

 

[declansdad]

Unless he is a Mohican this is absurd.

The mother obviously has issues, why on earth would she give this haircut to a 6 year old? Sounds like she's trying to push the schools buttons.

I don't see what a person's ancestry has to do with the issue.

If the 6 year old wants the cut and she is willing to allow it; that is her call. It certainly doesn't mean she has issues.

I honestly don't get what the big deal is about a mohawk. And I don't understand why schools feel they need to police something like that. I understand the need for a dress code of some sort, but I feel that dictating how a kid should wear his or her hair is a bit much. I think the argument that it is "distracting" is incredibly weak. It seems to me that the school was the one making a big deal out of it.

I agree. If they want to avoid problems such as this, they should be more specific in the dress code.

As one who has been on both sides of the dress code issue, the school is going about this wrong. They need to spellout what is allowed and what isn't allowed. They need to define distracting. I'm surprised this is the first issue that they have had.

 

[declansdad]

The thing is though, how can a school anticipate every scenario of inappropriate appearance?

I really would have been for the mom had the school not given two prior warnings before acting. They gave her enough notice that his haircut was determined to be inappropriate for her to make changes without unreasonable sacrifice. There is no way for them to know that they needed to include mohawks until a kids showed up with one, so they made a decision on it and let her know...twice. After that, I don't really have much sympathy.

They can simply describe an acceptable cut.

 

[poohandwendy]

They can simply describe an acceptable cut.

I am sure they will be more specific now. It sounds like it wasn't an issue before.

 

[KariC]

She would have had to. They have many meetings with parents both group and one on one. They tell you what is acceptable and I remember that some parents asked hair questions. Now none of the parents when I was there asked about a mohak but many asked about length, coloring and other things and they came right out and said what was acceptable. My son has short hair but at the time liked the top spiked and was told that he could not have it spiked. I was more concerned about quality of education rather than hair since my son is defined by his character not his hair.

This makes me really wonder about this mom's motives. I'm so glad you are sharing your personal knowledge about this school. That way we can all make our judgements and armchair hair-styling (quarterbacking didn't sound right) with a bit of insight.

I go with the school on this one. It's obvious that the school lays out their expectations ahead of time. And, I feel, that when you place your child in a school you're paying for, you need to make sure you are okay with their guidelines and authority. If this mom missed the meeting, she had ample opportunity to discuss it when they received the first two warnings. And, if she was unhappy with the rules, she could change the situation and place her child in a public school.

(It is just hair. He could have that style during the summer if they really liked the school.)