To think that the school cannot enforce this uniform rule?

[ReanimatedSGB]

DS started back at school on Friday and has come home with an annoying student handbook full of various pissy instructions and threats of hour-long detentions.
One thing I noticed was that 'boys' hair must be no longer than collar length. DS has long hair. While I completely understand a regulation that long hair must be tied back for school, isn't it actually illegal for them to insist that boys can't have long hair? IE sex discrimination?

I'm sure any male clever enough to apply for important city type jobs will use their common sense prior to an interview and decide if they feel they ought to cut their hair. Doesn't mean they can't have long hair while still at school/uni.

DS dad thinks it's possible that the school hasn't actually read that paragraph in the book - he reckoned that the 'student handbook' is done by a company who have standard (anal, stupid) rule templates and just C&P the school's name and the actual uniform colours.
But I shall see what happens over the next few days - and if they do complain, I will start by being polite but firm.

Do you get loads of people commenting on his hair? DS has had long hair on and off. He insisted on getting it all shaved off at one point after a load of teasing (adults as well as kids, the twats) but he's got long hair again and has just started secondary. I love his hair, it's all thick and shiny, but oh my goodness, the opinions!!

As a sometime recruiter, long hair and tattooes wouldn't trouble me. Idiotic, archaic, judgemental attitudes would put me right off, however. We're in the 21st century. Not the 1950s.

I love his hair, it's all thick and shiny, but oh my goodness, the opinions!! It used to make me chuckle that people got so worried about my son's hair. They didn't seem to like my glee as they got angrier and angrier. The funny thing was many of them weren't exactly oil paintings and I could have made a few comments about their appearance but I was too polite so just chuckled away.

I watched England's women vs New Zealand in the rugby and not one player had short hair. Not even the refs. All hair bands or tight plaits. No problem with the performances but I did actually think it was a bit weird. I wondered if there was pressure to retain something that's supposedly feminine if you'd gone and got yourself an awesomely muscular rugby body.

gosh I remember the days when this wasn't an issue.and it makes me really rather sad.whats happening.

That's a pretty standard rule. I can see what you mean about discrimination but you are being a bit precious. It will grow back. Just cut it. There are many situations when your son will be expected to present himself in a certain way when he gets older, it's good for him to learn his lesson now. Self expression isn't a right or the be all and end all for that matter.

I did actually think it was a bit weird. I wondered if there was pressure to retain something that's supposedly feminine if you'd gone and got yourself an awesomely muscular rugby body
Or they just like having long hair, like a large percentage of women??

Has rightnowimpissed led such a sheltered life that she's never met a senior, respected professional with long hair? And how has she not noticed the long hair worn by many successful sportspeople- both male and female?

Or he may never be somewhere where there are requirements.

As long as he keeps it clean and tied back and shock horror treats people nicely why the fuck should she cut it. Don't give in to these twats.

I'm sure the school has read the paragraph in the book. AFAIK, most schools near me have always had this rule and still do.

Its funny how early people get prissy about boys hair. DS is two and at the back its about 1.5 inches below the top of his top iyswim. Everyone asks when were having it cut. I'm not. Oh, well, he needs it cut. .. He really doesn't. Cut his fringe so he can see. I'll cut it when I think he'll get through a hair cut without tears / expresses he wants it cut

When I did my post grad in teaching, there was a woman with half of her head shaved & the rest dyed neon green. She was a fab teacher & was one of the first to get a job.

Times are changing.
Unless the school is only preparing them for the army, I think that rule is totally unnecessary & just causes stress to the good kids.
As long as hair is clean it shouldn't matter.

I wonder what schools would say if challenged on this.

Why are they imposing different rules for boys and girls?

Schools are part of the problem.

Good for the teenage boys who are have long hair because they want to and don't subscribe to gender stereotypes.

All the boys I knew with long hair grew it because they were heavily falling in line with gender stereotypes, rock bands, indie bands, metal bands, a lot of them favour long hair. And I'm guessing it's that kind of tribalism the schools want to avoid.

What a load of bollocks. And all this 'preparing for the world of work' stuff is total nonsense. All these Draconian school rules about hair length and what colour hair accessories are 'permitted' has happened at a time when work dress codes have become more relaxed.
I have a responsible job. I'm allowed to wear jeans and trainers and have my hair however I want. The male doctor who saved DD's life had orange hair in bunches and a plaited beard.

But the kind of tribalism of following bands who like short hair is ok?

The male doctor who saved DD's life had orange hair in bunches and a plaited beard clearly he IS awesome cos he saved your daughters life but he also sounds like he'd go down a storm as a paeds doctor.

One of our fqvourite NICU nurses had red (red not ginger) hair and tattoos and poercings. Unless they utilise their hair on the job, who cares

www.google.co.uk/search?q=valderrama&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=imvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzqqLE3pzWAhVkCcAKHYDTAWUQ_AUIESgB&biw=375&bih=559#imgrc=i3FfHVsZoDouTM:

This footballer was pretty successful despite his crazy locks.

When I went to school in the 70s and 80s, none of the local state schools ever had a uniform. The only rule I remember was no shell suits because they could go up in flames in the chemistry lab, so health and safety concern rather than fashion police. I still struggle to understand the logic of uniform as I never came across any lack of school spirit, belonging, discipline all the other things that are trotted out in favour of uniforms in my school. Lots of kids went to Oxbridge, other top unis, so it didn't hurt our brains either.

I don't know this - but I have this suspicion that schools in Europe who cope fine without a school uniform probably aren't as bothered about hair length and style as well.

Just a guess.

DS1 has long hair. It's down between his shoulder blades and thick and has a slight curl and is lustrous and looks exactly like me when I was that age. He wears it to school loose but ties it back for PE, science etc. He's on track for 10 A-A* this year ( or whatever the new damn equivalent is). He's a great pupil, no trouble, good reports and is not the only boy with long hair in the school. The only rule is no unnatural colours. They have kids with alsorts of hair cuts from skin head to down to the knees and anywhere in between, boys and girls.

The only time anyone mentions it is when we visit back home and oh my goodness the opinions 😱

And my lovely GP is a surfer dude with the most jealousy inducing long , curly locks. He's the best doctor I've encountered and his hair and tattoos don't affect his treatment of his patients.

You come across as a prize twat OP.

You clearly didn't post to ask if you were being reasonable, you wanted a few right-on lets-push-the-boundaries posters to agree with your agenda whatever that may be.

"fuckwitted, militarized lines"

Learning to obey rules is a necessary part of life for many people. Of course there are those who don't or can't and their parent's applaud their 'individuality' but these children tend to be the fuck ups of society as opposed to the leading lights.

FWIW, there is nothing illegal or discriminatory about what you've been told. Suck it up princess.

If we wanted to be oerfectly gender neutral then shouldn't girls have to get theirs cut to a certain length too. It seems a bit unfair that girls are allowd to keep theirs long but boys can't?