To think schools should be concerned with things other than kids haircuts.

[DroningOn]

metro.co.uk/2019/01/20/mum-says-school-is-culturally-biased-after-banning-son-from-playground-over-haircut-8365293/

Sounds like the haircut policy of North Korea.

Do educators really believe this is an appropriate use of time and energy? Time that could be used teaching and developing kids.

The time and energy comes from having to deal with parents and students who think they are above school rules

I will also assume these same people ignore work place rules on appropriate dress and appearance. Oh, hang on........

YANBU. This focus on rules for rules sake only exists to drum into children that there's only one acceptable way to be, and that any difference is shameful or negative. It's the underlying principle that when taken even farther is the same underlying principle of racism, xenophobia, homophobia and bullying.

Schools generally publish uniform rules, including make up and hair styles. Don’t choose the school if you disagree with their policy.

intohell is right. It’s a pain having to explain/nag about those things. That’s what interferes with education.

Don’t choose the school if you disagree with their policy

Bit disingenuous considering almost all state schools are much of a muchness with this.

It's a modern twist on a late 20th century hair style and the kid is 5. The school is fecking ridiculous.

Oh and it is well known many workplaces are racist about hiring black people - there was a report out about this the other week - so the hairstyle you have doesn't matter as you won't be hired in places with Draconian policies like the school's anyway.

It's the underlying principle that when taken even farther is the same underlying principle of racism, xenophobia, homophobia and bullying

I think the school policy is fine. The haircut is extreme. If she'd talked to them about the alopecia then they might have been more understanding.

And yes I have 2 ds's who have their sides cut as short as they can get away with!!

The idea that anyone who doesn't fit in or conform is somehow not worthy. Doesn't take a genius to see where that's heading.

I really can't see anything at all with that boys hair it is fine.

I'm white but have read a lot about how white standards around "presentable" result in time effort money and impracticality for others.

I really don't understand the focus on this sort of petty stuff. The boys looks fine. He looks neat and tidy and smart. What do the school think his hairstyle signifies? How will it distract other children from learning? Does it move on it's own, does it sing?

I understand that this is my view and a lot of people are very very keen on petty trivial rules and think how you look is of extreme importance.

YANBU. I hate all these hairstyle rules.

I’m usually in support of uniform rules but in this instance YANBU. he clearly has a haircut that is personally appropriate and culturally relevant. It looks lovely and I can’t see how that style would look out of place in a playground!

YANBU. Haircuts never affect learning. I had a shaved head and coloured my hair every colour of the rainbow in secondary school. Was fortunate to have a bit of a hippy head teacher who allowed it. Didn’t prevent me from going to uni and getting a first.

It is idiotic parents who flout school rules that lead to teachers wasting time on non-education matters. Just follow the rules

Sadly most parents don’t bother teaching their children how to present themselves so schools are forced to. Better that these children at least know how to dress than end up unable to get a good job because of their hair.

I'm told that in some areas, the designs shaved as part of a haircut indicate gang allegiance, in which case I could understand a school being interested (and having rules that prevented such haircuts). However this may be an urban myth!

it seems people are split between just follow the rules and the rule is ridiculous and unnecessary.

I think the boys hair is fine and don't really understand how a school can tell people what to do with their hair. Your hair is your hair at home, the weekends and holidays not just during school hours in the way a uniform is. I get safety rules but seriously, young child has neat hair cut is not a reason to be in trouble.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traction_alopecia&ved=2ahUKEwiI-pWH2_zfAhXZUBUIHaFWBH8QFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw0oFdZbpT9o6nF0CaGh4JaX" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Traction alopecia is entirely preventable.

Stop pulling the poor kid's hair out and just give him a short afro style.

The little boy looks lovely and very smart but grade 2 is still very, very short. It would still look neat and tidy with a grade and I'm not sure how a little boy managed to get traction alopecia unless he's been wearing weaves or braids which I would imagine are also against school rules. It sounds like an excuse to flout unreasonable school rules. The mother would be better off just fighting the rule without adding the stuff about traction alopecia or saying a grade 2 would be too long for his hair type.

To think schools should be concerned with things other than kids haircuts.

Schools are concerned with loads of things other than kids' haircuts. HTH.

His hair doesn't look too short in that pic to me.

That's kind of the point. Grade 2 / less / more will look different with different types of hair.

My assumption is it's about stopping white skinhead type looks... Not relevant for this child.

Schools are, but that does not mean appearance should not be something they should be concerned with. As long as the policy is set in advance and not changed mid-year, for example.

I can't see how this small boy's tidy hairstyle would affect other pupils. In class or in the playground.

Parents know the school policies before they send their children to a school so it's difficult to have a valid argument if you go against these.

However, this boys hair doesn't look 'extreme' so maybe these policies do need looking at.

I do think some schools 'invite' criticism by having rules on quite normal haircuts but then not dealing with bullying and bad behaviour effectively.

I fail to see how hairstyles detract from learning.

Rules for rules sake, especially at 5.