Does this sound a bit over the top?

[TheaB]

DS has just returned from his first day of secondary school. He and the rest of year seven had gone off to priory farm for a bonding day. He reported that another poor child was told on this trip that he will be suspended for three days when they get back as his hair is too short!

I realise they have a strict appearance policy but couldn't they have given the poor child a break as its their first day?

Sounds a bit crap to me, he can't exactly bond with the rest of the class now. But 'dem rules are 'dem rules. They are probably making an example of him to make sure the others don't do the same.

Too short?

I get comments because my son's hair is apparantly too long.

Some people will always find something to winge about!

the school forbids you to have hair either too short or too long.

Who decides what is long and what is short? Does someone walk around with a tape measure? Or is it simple someone's opinion?

*simply

That seems a very harsh punishment for the start of term, surely a reminder would have done.

Our school was very strict on this. But usually at this time of year, especially for year 7 it was a reminder letter to the parents.
I remember my cousin having his head saved during a half term and it didn't grow as much as he thought. So he put boot polish on his head. Really funny, looked so funny.

Sounds a big mad to me - whats the boy supposed to do in 3 days grow a head of hair or get extensions!! Too long fair enough I can see that it could be a nuisance, but too short?

I'm wondering exactly what they think will happen about it in three days. I can at least understand the logic behind suspending for a few days for too long hair (although I personally don't agree with it) because it would give an opportunity to have it cut, but do they expect his parents to magically be able to make it grow in three days? It will still be too short when he gets back, surely?

Bit mad even!

Suspended?

That's ridiculously harsh! A detention would have done! I don't disagree with the school taking a strong stance on things like this from the first day, but suspension??

Is there no way your ds was misheard and he was threatened with suspension?

In his first week at senior school, ds1 was threatened with detention because he lost a form he was supposed to bring home for me to sign.

Spottyblancmange - exactly my thoughts!

Pathetic. My son has long hair (well not that long, just past his chin) and if the school told me he had to have it cut I would be seeing the fuckers in court.

My son has a facial disfigurment that his hair covers, when he started in primary school he had short hair and was teased every day and bullied till he grew his hair to cover it. He is due to have corrective surgery in the next 2 or 3 years.

There is no way I would let the school dictate to me how short his hair had to be, no way would i have him being bullied and teased again.

Woah! Sledghammer to crack a nut. I'd be deeply pissed off if that was my child.