school crack down on hair colour

[mrsfuzzy]

new school year and problems already! ds is 14 and like a lot of girls her age experiments with her hair, for the first time during the school hols she tried a semi permanent raspberry colour on her red hair [god knows why- ex p let her do it] anyhow i was cool with that as it doesn't look that obvious, as she washes it it becomes less obvious, however school are cracking down on these things make up, uniform etc as they did last year, but she brought a note home yesterday saying to remove the dye or steps will be taken, i wasn't fazed by this as each wash reduces the colour, but how do people 'get away' with flouting the rules about such things one girl has dyed her hair jet black with blue streaks over the hols and mum told me she is not going to remove the colour for anyone, one lad keeps one side of his head shaved in spite of repeated warnings, mum says she ignores them, i accept the school policy that's not the problem but aibu to wonder why it seems the 'easy targets get picked on' to set an example? any thoughts or similar experiences anyone?

[Bogeyface]

Charlie my hair is that colour naturally! How ridiculous to pick on her and leave the kid with green hair alone!

That has just reminded me though, when I was in 6th form there was a teacher who had green hair for several weeks because her blonde hair dye had gone wrong. We, being thoughtful, kind and sensitive teens, nicknamed her Fungus the Bogeyman :o

[GhostsInSnow]

Arbitrary, you are right of course, but at this stage I'm choosing my battles wisely. There is history there for a thread on its own with having to fight tooth and nail to actually get work sent home for her after her accident. As its still possible that she might have to go back to part time if I'm going to go into battle I'd rather make it for something more important iyswim though I might drop an email to her student services helper just to register my displeasure. I just don't want to rock the boat just yet when we are so close to the finish line with the place.

Of course in the meantime I have no qualms about her continuing to dye it ginger.

[Idespair]

I think people should just obey the rules.

The "easy targets" are probably tackled first because they are easy to deal with and will probably comply with the warning.

Poor teachers and school staff! Dealing with all this crap when people could just follow written policies without messing about.

[BellaTheGooseIsDead]

"acting the goat in public and uniform and bringing the school into disrepute"

Haven't heard that for years

I think blue or pink on someone with the right colouring looks beautiful.

You have to choose your battles with teenagers.

[Lestagal78]

I sometimes wonder whether one of our local schools has the right idea and has done away with uniform altogether at 14.

The students can express themselves fully, with the majority of girls wearing sensible/ practical clothing to their own personal tastes. Not a tube skirt in sight. The lads can wear shorts on a day like today and be cool and comfortable without falling foul of a uniform policy.

Teachers then concentrate on teaching rather than the hairstyles the pupils have or whether a skirt is not the required length.

[Crowler]

Sure, you have to pick your battles. But the battle is almost won when there's no one at school with dyed hair.

[RedHelenB]

thank goodness my kids go to an outstanding school where they can dye their hair, wear make up & jewellery (not for PE & tech obviously) & have polo shirts & jumpers. really cuts down on wasted teaching time telling them off for uniform infringements!

[GalaxyDefender]

Why should people obey the rules when the rules are arbitrary and pointless, and not even enforced properly anyway?

When I was at secondary school (early 00s) I dyed my brown hair bright red, white-blonde, black and even purple at one point. Not a hair was turned. pun intended
One of my more "punky" mates dyed a strip of her blonde hair green. She was immediately taken into solitary and not allowed to come back until the green bit was gone.
Why was she punished and I not? Both our hair colours were "unnatural", so why was mine allowed and hers not? I suspect it's because she was gobby and I was the school mouse, which is not exactly fair.

Teenagers will pick up on things like that and resent it, thus breaking the rules more, which results in more faff. Better to just leave it alone to begin with.
Kids should be able to express themselves as they are in the process of working out who they are and how they fit into the world. Stifling self-expression is just pointless as it will find other, potentially worse, outlets.

[Ledkr]

My dd has just started high school and I keep waiting for comments to be made about the little blonde streaks she has developed over the summer.
I did used to get cross when my boys were sent home to rectify hair probs when the girls often looked like pop stars.

[TheFuzz]

None of these rules are new. Been going on for years. Some rules are plain crazy, but uniform/hair colour and jewlery are all pretty standard.

One thing I do find crazy is our local high insists that Blaizers are worn at all times, including baking hot days in class !

[thebody]

Crowler,, yes you definatly don't have a daughter. //😄

what a load of total silly crap. schools should concentrate in teaching children and not expect teachers to waste their time on crap like this.

uniform, hair, it really doesn't matter.

unless they are turning up in bikinis and things then ffs who cares?

there's no correlation between good behaviour and uniform and I wish Britain could drag itself out of the last century and embrace the rest of sensible Europe.

[ArbitraryUsername]

I don't think people should just obey the rules however petty and arbitrary they are. It is a good idea to think about the rules we are subject to, rather than just blindly doing what we are told.

Rules about hair colour are pointless and just a means of exercising power for it's own sake.

[Tapirbackrider]

My dcs school is extremely strict about uniform, down to type and colour of shoes. However, the Rector understands that teens need some way to show their individuality and has no problem with dyed hair or unusual hair styles.

My dd went through a stage of having bright pink hair, then red, blue, turquoise, and purple...and stopped after the Rector publicly complimented her on her taste in colour!

They need some outlet, rather than feeling like all personal autonomy is frowned upon!

[LookingThroughTheFog]

Why should people obey the rules when the rules are arbitrary and pointless, and not even enforced properly anyway?

This is my main problem with uniform rules. If the school get all crazy and obsessed with uniform violations which are clearly pointless, how are they going to convince the students to listen to them on actually important issues?

I'm desperately hoping that when mine get to senior school age, this crazy phase of uniform obsession will have died out. I'm hoping for an influx of research articles that show that it has no relation to students grades, and no affect on students' behaviour. That way the head-teachers could get a ruddy grip and start treating the students in their schools as individuals.

Obviously if the research shows that it's actually hugely important and that grades and behaviour do suddenly pop up, then I'll remain quiet and look away.

[Crowler]

Sure, I don't have a daughter. Boys these days like to dye their hair too, I wouldn't allow that.

I like my kids to look wholesome. I appreciate that my kids' school has a hard-nosed policy towards the way the present themselves. I may lose the battle, but it won't be for lack of trying on my end.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Well I do have 2 daughters, and I wouldn't encourage them to dye their hair daft colours or to flout school rules!

I don't think it is arbitrary or pointless - I think it's inappropriate to have pink hair at school just as in the workplace, actually.

But however silly I thought a rule, while my children are at school I would never encourage them to flout it - I don't think it's a good road to go down when parents undermine and are at odds with school continually.

If, for example, something happened which I thought was irrational or unfair, like dd got punished for a skirt above the knee whilst others were wearing skin-tight trousers and getting away with it, I'd ask the school for clarification (which is a euphemism for send a highly querulous email), but not keep sending her in a short skirt just because I think she ought to be able to wear one.

[mrsfuzzy]

i seem to have started quite a debate with the hair thing fellow mn's ! we have to make a stand on this one, schools need reminding that kids are there to learn, not to be suspended on the grounds that hair is a bit on the long side, coloured etc [within limits] plus the fact my kids school brings in the same rules every year, bang on about it until the majority toe the line, then give up when the shouty parents refuse to comply, after which other kids slip back into old habits and it drags round to july with nothing more said until september and the same old arguments begin again, arrgghh, makes my want to rip my own hair, pardon the pun!

[RoonilWazlibWuvsHermyown]

I think some schools do target the "good" kids when cracking down on things. When I was at school, we weren't allowed boots with heels. A couple of girls used to wear them every day. I got some as a present so decided I'd wear mine for school. I was told off and put into detention for wearing them. The only reason I can see that I had detention and they didnt was the fact that I could be relied on to give in and meekly stop wearing my boots whereas these other girls would scream and swear and shout so the teachers stopped trying with them. What does that teach people?

[GhostsInSnow]

Our school has decided to really go for it this term I think. The blazers at all times rule has always been enforced. The kids would literally bake. DD actually split her blazer at the bottom of the arms from pushing it up so she could be a little cooler. I never bothered sewing it because I realised that was the only way she could be a bit cooler.

Now they have decided the whole school will have clip on ties. New pet peeve of the head you see, uneven ties. years 7 -10 have handed in their ties and been given a clip on for free. Year 11? They are now required to wear a different tie signifying they are year 11, oh and I have to pay a fiver for the privilege!

I went to the same school many moons ago, and we didn't have a uniform then. When I look at our year photo we were all quite smart, not tons of makeup etc. Left to our own devices we found a happy medium.

[ElleMcFearsome]

My DD got sent home on the first day of the last school year (going into Yr 10) for 'not having hair that was on the natural spectrum'. It was a reddy brown but as it was pink over the summer, and her hair had needed to be bleached for the pink to take the red/brown was quite vibrant. I got both flamed and supported when I made a thread about it. Good old MN

In her case, school was quite clear: no attendance until it was an acceptable colour, which would include both jet black and platinum blonde. I sucked it up and we dyed it black as it was the only way to stop the vibrancy shining through! This year she was pink at the beginning of the holidays and then has been washing her hair with Head & Shoulders (as wise MNetters told me that was a good way to strip the colour) and its plain brown today! As she hasn't returned (first day in Yr 11) I assume it met the school's criteria! Good luck with fixing the colour and know that you won't be the only parent dealing with this today...

[Chattymummyhere]

I used to dye my hair a gingery red at school nothing was ever said but then I was one of those children the hobby ones with the fishwomen mother...

As an adult I dyed it key black and I'm slowly turning it to fire engine red oh the horror...

It teenagers want to dye their hair they will find away no amount of mummy saying no will stop, me and my friends used to go to the shop and buy it ourselfs and dye it in our bedrooms...

Tell you one thing though those who due their hair quite often take much more care of their hair than those who leave it alone and just cut and wash as normal...

I have to dye mine every 4weeks bang on the dot, its cut just before, special hair treatments applied to keep the hair in good condition.. And it's not keep the dye alone is £7.30 for one tube that's without developer at anywhere between £7-£30 for 1 bottle.. You have to be very dedicated to have brightly coloured hair and maintain it and surely dedication is a good quality to have.

[Chattymummyhere]

Cheap not keep stupid phone...

[thebody]

it's stupid, pointless and worst if all no evidence based.

work places have moved in, schools need to catch up.

I wouldn't dream if controlling my teens hair colour. or clothes.

[usualsuspect]

Why would it be inappropriate to have pink hair in the workplace?

[thebody]

to add how do you actually stop teens dying their hair?? mind boggled!!