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Why do some schools ban certain hair cuts?

58 replies

KindergartenKop · 05/07/2022 14:57

I'm looking at secondary schools. One of them doesn't allow shaved heads under a no.3 grade cut. My son regularly has his shaved short, mainly because he has thick hair (due to South Asian genes). Is this normal in schools? Is this something I should avoid in a school or should I just shut up 😁

OP posts:
pointythings · 08/07/2022 21:25

Changednamesorry · 08/07/2022 21:05

Racism plays a role.

It absolutely does - look at all the students being sanctioned for having natural Afro hair. Completely unacceptable.

amusedbush · 08/07/2022 22:41

strawberrylacey · 08/07/2022 21:02

While it's all well and good to preach "don't judge a book", when people take on an appearance, they do it to send a message to everyone else as to what kind of person they are.

You must have the appearance of an arsehole then, because you're sending that message loud and clear.

TheWeeDonkey · 09/07/2022 07:51

Bakedpotatoesfortea · 07/07/2022 18:55

At my school they banned braids, patterns, skinheads and Afros. My brother shaved off his 'Afro' (not even Z curl pattern, just buoyant curls) and then got in trouble for looking like a skinhead. Racist, classist nonsense. I got sent home for highlighting my hair, it's all dark except for a small bit at the front which naturally has no pigment (a Mallen streak).

See this is what I'm talking about, blatant racism and classism. I hate it, its disgusting.

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glamourousindierockandroll · 09/07/2022 08:13

Lots of schools do it, including the one where I work, and I've never understood it.

I think lots of heads want the children to look neat and tidy as it adds to the culture and hairstyles possibly crack the door open to other things like uniform customisation, statement make up etc, I suppose in theory if you set the bar very high, and then expect that some will push it a bit, it still ends up "within tolderance."

I don't remember my own school having strict hairstyle rules as I can recall seeing older kids with dreads and mohicans in the late 90s, but most people just went along with the mainstream anyway.

SmellyWellyWoo · 09/07/2022 08:43

Schools are far stricter than many workplaces. It's very odd.

itsgettingweird · 09/07/2022 11:51

carefullycourageous · 05/07/2022 15:07

The reason is because the UK is weirdly controlling and a lot of headteachers pretend this stuff matters.

In my area the schools vary widely and the better schools are less strict. No such nonsense in the school my youngest goes to thankfully.

It would factor in my decision making when choosing as it indicates the head is a twat, so likely to be other irritations.

Absolutely the same in mine too.

The 2 best performing schools year on year - shock horror! - don't even have blazers and allow black lace up converse.

The next best has a blazer uniform but is much less strict in general.

The worst 2? Both academy's who focus on image

itsgettingweird · 09/07/2022 11:53

You must have the appearance of an arsehole then, because you're sending that message loud and clear.

I LOVE this. I'm streaming it for RL!!

amusedbush · 09/07/2022 13:09

itsgettingweird · 09/07/2022 11:53

You must have the appearance of an arsehole then, because you're sending that message loud and clear.

I LOVE this. I'm streaming it for RL!!

Thank you - consider it yours Grin

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