Assault. I hope that kid and his parents immediately phoned the police and filed a complaint!

Does that make sense to anyone?

Sounds to me like his family has grounds for assault charges. They could have just as well sent him home again (still silly), but they had to interpret his haircut as a middle finger to their authorit-ah and go off on a redneck powertrip.

It does to me. The boyfriend is saying the school said the family was being unfair to the kid by letting him choose a hairstyle the school considered unsavory.

I totally agree with the school's policy of having expectations including appearance, but I will NEVER agree with a school staff member cutting a child's hair. It's assult plain and simple.

And I agree with their policy because I know first hand how outrageous haircuts, cloting, etc. can distract other kids and affect their education negatively. But I also don't have a problem short a mowhawk...that sort of distraction only lasts for a few minutes and kids move on.

From the school's Student Handbook

What's more distracting? a boy with a strange-ish haircut the kids stop talking about before morning announcements are over or a boy getting dragged out of class for an involuntary buzz cut?

Why on earth did the school have clippers on hand? is this a regular occurance?

Why did no one stand up for this boy? the principal delegated this to someone. It wasn't secret.

ETA - link to handbook (PDF)

How do people get off doing this sort of thing?

I agree with what people have said above, it is assault. If it bothered them that much than they could have just sent the boy home and refused to let him come to school until the "proper" actions had been taken. Which is still stupid. And really, if a mohawk isn't gelled up, does it look any different from some of the goth kids? (No offense to any goths, but I've seen some pretty weird hair.)

These people definitely have grounds for suit.

As an attorney . . . I am drooling. If only I lived in Barlett, Kansas.

Also, the article says the parents trimmed the mohawk after being alerted that his haircut was not acceptable.

So, by the time they shaved his head, he already had a normal haircut. Outrageous.

I sent mine to school today with a fauxhawk for "Crazy hair and Sock Day!" Hope it doesn't cause distraction, but if they shaved it off, it would save me on getting it cut.

When my brother was in elementary he wanted his hair to be long, and my mom let him. She let him have his hair long because it was something she could give him that didn't cost money. In fact it saved money. No haircuts. His teacher claimed that if she would cut his hair that he would do better in school. Seriously?! Could it have been that teacher was simply a jacka$$!? But he did not CUT IT!? That is outrageous. When I was in second grade, my teacher put my hair up in a rubber band---quite gruffly--because I wouldn't stop playing with it. I was a latch key kid and my key was on a string of yarn around my neck. The rubber band tangled into the yarn. My mom had to cut the rubber band and the yarn out of my hair. WTF is wrong with these people????

Any manner of dress or hairstyle
that the principal deems to be detrimental
to the learning process will not
be allowed. The principal shall act as
“arbiter of good taste” in referrals from
staff members on questions of improper
attire.


So, in other words, whatever mood the principal is in determines what is and isnt acceptable? Why should it only be the decision of the principal? I dont think one person should be allowed to decide how a whole school full of kids dress and wear their hair. What happens when said principal decides girls must have long hair and boys must have short hair? Or that girls must wear their hair in a ponytail at all times?