Bold Hair Hues Lead to Suspension for 6th-Grader
Citation: Sammons, Mary. (2011). Bold Hair Hues Lead to Suspension for 6th Grader. Retrieved from
http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/16/bold-hair-hues-lead-to-suspension-for-sixth-grader/
Reflection:
This article describes a young 6th grade girl who was suspended from school for having blonde and red streaks in her hair. Seriously. I did NOT just make that up. Click the URL above if you don't believe me. Do it... I'll wait.
On one hand, I understand the need for a dress code and a code of conduct in a school. It is important for safety, privacy, liability, etc. Apparently the hair dye conflicted with the student code, which states that students cannot dye their hair. But the girl streaked her hair with NATURALLY OCCURRING colors. She didn't dye her hair sea monster green, something which might actually distract fellow students. The girls mom actually paid to have it professionally done.
So she was suspended, because the principal can't have an outbreak of dyed hair. Watch out now, kids might get ideas and start expressing themselves. I mean, what if I am born a brunette, but I think I am actually a blonde? I can be suspended for righting that wrong? (This is hypothetical, of course). I suppose you can wait until you graduate, but I just thought we would have evolved as a society to the point where a girl could highlight her hair without being suspended.
Again, the tween age is a tricky one. Some girls may be wanting to highlight their hair, while others still don't even care about their hair. I think there should be some reasonable flexibility, where tweens can express their individuality within the confines of appropriate school rules. I can understand not dying your hair blue (maybe). But methinks this school may be a little on the strict (read: draconian) side.
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