To think that red hair on a 14yo isn't a discipline issue?

[GilbGeekette]

14 yo DD (just starting Year 10) has just been sent home from school on her first day for having "too bright" hair. Her hair is dyed auburn/red (having had it neon pink all summer) in accordance with, I thought, school policy of dyed hair having to fall into the spectrum of 'natural' hair colour. Her HoY rang me (apologetically, it must be said) and I accepted (even though I disagree) that they weren't happy with the colour, and said I would re-dye it tonight. This wasn't good enough, and I was given a choice between her spending the day in the 'isolation room' (with no set work) or her coming home and me re-dying it now. I've taken the latter option, as I'm a SAHM - if I was working this wouldn't have been an option.

I'm accepting (ish) of the school thinking that her hair isn't a reasonable colour, but AIBU in thinking that verbal assurances from me that it would be rectified by tomorrow morning should be enough? Fwiw, there are no discipline/behavioural issues with DD and school, (quite the contrary - they've always been extremely positive about her) and until now I thought that we'd all had a good relationship...

But you knew the colour wasn't allowed and sent her in anyway, didn't you?? You had a thread yesterday/day before saying the schools policy was natural hair colours and they didn't accept ginger was a natural colour and complaining then.

So school is BU for thinking natural hair is only blonde/brown/black

And YABU for deliberatly breaking the rule then conplaining there is a punishment

Id have to dye my hair then. Which would be the first time ever. Ironic they dont accept a natural hair colour!

Did it come out brighter because it was put over neon pink though?

Apple crumble I see your point but I don't agree with the "where will it all end" type argument.

Same here Ed.
I wouldnt be happy if my family/employers told me what colour hair I was/wasnt 'allowed'
Funnily enough my hair colour (which is normal now but since aged 13 has been the whole spectrum of possible colours) doesnt affect how I work or behave as a person.

Littleducks, that thread wasn't me! And, as I have said, I didn't think the colour fell outside the boundaries. And Soup, no it didn't. If it had, I'd have re-dyed it darker. Happily, it's now reddish brown, the brown dye seems to have taken, so she'll be on her way back in as soon as her hair has dried, and will have only missed the morning lessons.

That colour looks fine to me sounds a bit ott.

Edmc, because the school rules don't allow it. I accept you may not like that particular rule so choose a school which doesn't have that rule or home educate. There is always a choice.

I'm assuming (unless she's naturally blonde) she had bleached hair under the neon pink?

If so, that shade would probably be quite bright on her...especially in the sunshine.

I think the school have been more than reasonable to allow her an absence from school to rectify this.

My DS's school would have simply put her in isolation and sent her home with a note at the end of the day.

Stealth. You just didn't read my post properly.
Futtheshuckup, many employers do have rules about things like hair colour whether you like it or not.
Schools have rules. Really if you hate the rules that much home educate your kids.

Sorry link gives whole colour chart on my IPod, but non look in the least outrageous.

Surely a quiet please tone that down by Monday would have sufficed.
I remember our senior mistress smiling and saying to a friend with dark plum hair, "That suits you, but it will have to go."

No one would have contemplated sending us home. Back then some people didn't even have home phones, not all had cars and very few had second cars. Even those who's parents did would have burst out laughing at the idea of collecting a child during the school day. I can't remember any one going home ill. You were just sent to the sick room. That was so boring you just weren't ill.

"My DS's school would have simply put her in isolation and sent her home with a note at the end of the day." Blimey, ok, maybe IABU then. Thanks Worra, necessary perspective taken on board

Apple, I understand that, but there's no need to be narky with me.

I wasn't having a go at you - I just dislike schools deciding what colour hair should be. It seems a step too far, to me.

A strictly enforced uniform I think is a good thing in that it provides teens with a safe way to rebel.

Wow, my hair used to every colour of the rainbow when I was at school. I dont think hair colour affects the leaning of teenage girls. Think its all got a bit silly, they should be concentrating on the curriculum.

Or with Stealth - as far as I can make out, she read your post perfectly. [baffled]

Anyway there are rules with a point and rules with no point.

IMO this is pointless. Saying 'schools have rules, suck it up or HE' doesn#t really address the issue does it?

Oh but I did ms patronising

AppleCrumbleAndFish

If she'd been allowed to carry on as normal with her day then half of year 10 would have pink hair tomorrow.

It's no great leap to assume that you, like others on this thread assumed her hair was pink. But actually you were saying auburn hair today on one, pink hair tomorrow on half of yr 10. Which is a slippery slope argument.

She also said 'If she'd been allowed to carry on as normal with her day then half of year 10 would have pink hair tomorrow.' Which is totally a 'where will it all end' type argument.

Sorry. 'Stealth, I didn't say it was. If you let one person break the rules someone else will follow and take it a little bit further. '

Wrong quote.

I thought they were more relaxed now, schools. I don't see why red hair disrupts her learning.

I had purple highlights (it did look good) through year 11 & I didn't get sent home.
Neither did the chav's who wore bum showing skirts, orange foundation & more bling than a jewellery shop.

I think it's all bollocks, to a certain extent. If she's wearing correct uniform & looks presentable why send her home?

I used to have my hair that colour when I was at senior school and I swore blind to the teachers that it was natural.

Then one day I went a shade brighter and my English teacher said, "Hmm are you sure that's not because it's very bright today?"

I said, "No miss, I've got an illness that makes my hair go redder sometimes"

Once she picked herself up from the floor, she casually told me to 'sort it' that night

Me too kate. I would come down on the side of supporting the school in its rules but would privately think they were a bit stuffy and obsessed with things they could easily control.

Thanks for the link op.

My old school wouldn't have allowed that colour either esp if it was done over bleached hair and looked brighter.

Fwiw I've never seen anyone irl with hair this colour naturally.

I think the school were between a rock and a hard place. If they'd let her stay in class they'd have a sea of rainbows tomorrow!

I mean she said "Are you sure that's not dyed because it's very bright today"