My son MUST have HAIR CUT for secondary school!

Also, a short haircut on boys always looks smarter. Always.

This is an opinion. Not a fact.

Also I think the Sikh case will be relevant. If it's a boys only school then any Sikh boys will have topknot or turban, your son should be allowed the same.

Only if he's a practising Sikh.

There's nothing wrong with politely arguing the case for tying it back on common sense grounds.

DS2 had the most glorious long hair from 11-17, no issue at school with this, other than (as with the girls), it needed to be tied back in some classes for safety. There is no reason why the school should be able to dictate the length of a child's hair, make or female.

Stupid rules shouldn't be followed just because they are RULES. They should be challenged.

That's not just sexist but racist, many Sikhs do not cut their hair at all. Some Jews see having side locks as part of their faith.

And it could be religious discrimination - Mohammed was said to have hair to his shoulders and some Muslims allow their hair to grow.

I would be tempted to send him with his hair in a bun at the back, above collar and see what they say.

Sikh boys are irrelevant here, tbh, because they keep their long hair up and covered either in a knot or a turban. It bears no relation to boys who want to wear their hair long or in a ponytail.

I know lots of people get very het up about the rights of their boys to have long hair, but personally I think dress codes are a necessary introduction to the world of work, so you should suck it up. Also, a short haircut on boys always looks smarter. Always.

There is plenty of evidence both ways, Judy and nothing conclusive, but:

www.isus-ltd.co.uk/blogs/news/10650585-smart-school-uniforms-linked-to-academic-success-of-uks-schools

It seems that a strong uniform policy is particularly helpful in raising standards in less well-performing schools, because of the impact on discipline and expectations.

It's all utterly ridiculous. Especially sixth form "business dress". Have you see the average undergraduate? Yet they seem to manage in work after graduating. OP, I'd be devastated that such a stupid rule was affecting my son's choices.

That hair is someone else's body and no one has the right to dictate what someone does with their body.

Up for h&s should be enough.

OP, There are more important things to worry about than the length of a child's hair. Do your son a favour, tell him to get his hair cut and get on with it. Surely you don't want your child to grow into a precious little entitled snowflake?

Unless he has fuck you shaved into the back of his head the hire is none of the schools bloody business.

And if girls can have long hair boys can. Imagine your dd being sent home as her hair was too short.

Fuck that.

"There's no evidence that wearing school uniform or adhering to strict hair/jewellery codes has a beneficial effect on learning."

Actually there is plenty of evidence for this, although research is divided.

Really? The best evidence comes from countries where there is not and never has been a uniform tradition, and they seem to perform as well as and better than the UK in terms of results and careers.

It's also noteworthy that St Paul's Girls' School, which has no uniform policy, regularly heads the league tables against similar selective private schools which do require uniforms.

Going to school is about education, part of that is learning to follow the rules. Even ones we don't like. Maybe you should home educate.

I'm not a lawyer but I'd have thought that the case you linked to could be appealed.

It was in 2011, it's a bit late to appeal! And as they won on the race discrimination point I imagine there would be no point in appealing.

The thing is, when you choose a school and are offered a place, you are implicitly agreeing to the expectations set by the school. You'll probably be asked to sign a home/school agreement too.

If the school was chosen on the basis of it's ethos, results, atmosphere, preparation for life, choice of subjects etc, then the OP must decide whether maintaining the status quo in terms of length of hair, trumps the other stuff. If it does, she'll need to be looking for an alternative school where they accept differences in hair length. If not, the hair will have to be cut. I don't think the school will alter it's policy.

Interesting how the kids who are wankers ( normally with parents support) about uniform manage to dress VERY conservatively when they get a Saturday job with uniform restrictions

Which precisely illustrates why uniform rules in schools are a total waste of time. People don't need to be taught to wear uniform, they just do it if they have to in later life. I wonder how people think other countries which don't normally have school uniform manage? I've never come across reports of mass rebellion in those countries against the prospect of wearing uniforms for nurses etc.

If the school intend to go down the "conventional" route then I hope it isn't more than a couple of decades old. If it is I guarantee there will be photos (possibly even in the reception area) of male staff with longer hairstyles and female staff with short cropped hair.

"There's no evidence that wearing school uniform or adhering to strict hair/jewellery codes has a beneficial effect on learning."

Actually there is plenty of evidence for this, although research is divided.

The case linked to by JudyCoolibar makes interesting reading.

I not sure I agree with what it says but it seems having different "conventional" dress or hairstyles for females and males is not necessarily discriminatory.

Interesting how the kids who are wankers ( normally with parents support) about uniform manage to dress VERY conservatively when they get a Saturday job with uniform restrictions hmm

So having long hair makes a child a wanker? You sound lovely. (Fwiw I bet most teen boys are literally wankers

in life you have to do what you are bloody told sometimes

Not if the rule is bullshit based on fuck all. Those rules you can challenge.

It won't be about safety, it's about conformity. Unfortunately I think they are entitled to discriminate in this way as long as it's reasonable, e.g. they will argue that long hair on a boy is a potential disruption to the uniform policy and I suspect they will get away with it ☹️

Get it cut.

Judy Coolibar - I'm not a lawyer but I'd have thought that the case you linked to could be appealed. Schools should have a policy that is "fair and reasonable". I'd have thought that banning braids is neither of those.