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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School hair

144 replies

MooseBreath · 04/09/2023 07:50

I will preface this by saying I am not from the UK and never attended a school with a uniform. I was a teacher in the UK for a while, and there was a uniform in those schools.

Why is there a rule about how children can style their hair? I genuinely don't see how it affects learning in any way. Is it a rule for rule's sake? If so, why aren't parents saying that the rule is outdated and should be abolished? What am I missing here?

OP posts:
jallopeno · 04/09/2023 08:01

Helps keep it out their faces so they can concentrate and not get it set on fire in science or caught on something in PE

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 04/09/2023 08:03

needs to be out of they’re face and can’t be a health and safety risk- ie. My daughters hair has to be tied up for gymnastics. Dye and extra things in kids hair has the same issue as wearing own clothes, it’s a distraction, it can become “look at me”.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 04/09/2023 08:04

Their face*

pepino · 04/09/2023 08:04

My dd's secondary school say:
Long hair must be well managed.

Extreme hairstyles are not permitted.

No students may have their hair cut shorter than a barbers’ number 2

Highlights or unnatural colour not allowed.

And if these rules are broken then they will be placed in isolation until hair either grows or colour has gone.
Now, not sure what they will do if a child has alopecia or hair loss from cancer treatment? Or if in support, other students shave their hair in support?

pepino · 04/09/2023 08:06

And weirdly, nothing to say about health and safety for long hair!

Biker47 · 04/09/2023 08:07

The not allowing kids to have shaved heads has got to be the stupidest "rule" ever devised.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 08:09

Some of it I think is ridiculous - what does it matter if someone has short hair or pink hair?

But then again I don't really see the sense of most school uniform "rules" either.

Keeping long hair tied up and out of the way for science and PE is a safety thing though, which makes sense.

jallopeno · 04/09/2023 08:09

Biker47 · 04/09/2023 08:07

The not allowing kids to have shaved heads has got to be the stupidest "rule" ever devised.

Yes that sounds odd

LakieLady · 04/09/2023 08:09

I don't get the control freakery about hair and uniforms at all, tbh.

Plenty of countries manage prefectly well without all these rules.

Oddsocks55 · 04/09/2023 08:11

My daughter has said that in her school only natural hair colours are allowed. Unless you're LGTBQ+ and then anything goes 🤷🏻‍♀️

WhatNoRaisins · 04/09/2023 08:11

This brings back memories of the first day of term when all the natural blondes would get interrogations about their hair colour.

Original poster
MooseBreath · 04/09/2023 08:11

It's the shaved hair thing that I especially don't understand! Why does anybody care?

These rules don't exist where I am from. Some students have brightly coloured hair and odd styles. A friend had a bright green mohican. It didn't stop any of us learning anything, and those of us with long hair were told to tie it back for PE or science experiments. Non issue.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 04/09/2023 08:11

You can say it’s ridiculous but I couldn’t work in an office with bright pink hair.
If you have ever been around young kids, they love to show off “look at my water bottle, look at my watch”- hair is like uniform, it’s to help create a level playing field for all children, to focus on learning.

WhatNoRaisins · 04/09/2023 08:12

Wasn't the shaved head thing a skinhead gang panic or something? I vaguely remember that one.

Heyhoherewegoagain · 04/09/2023 08:13

LakieLady · 04/09/2023 08:09

I don't get the control freakery about hair and uniforms at all, tbh.

Plenty of countries manage prefectly well without all these rules.

Yeah, like Scotland. I’ve never heard of any of these mad rules anywhere other than England

romdowa · 04/09/2023 08:13

A guy in my year was bald by 16 , typical male patterned baldness and they actually suggested to him that he get a wig 🤣🤣🤣

ConsistentlyPeeved · 04/09/2023 08:13

It's about making the next generation of conformists. As a teen at an English school I hated the rules, I don't understand why having highlights or bubblegum pink hair imposes on someone's ability to concentrate. It is absolutely bat shit and just shows how out of touch the entire educational system is. If I could afford to, I would home school.

Original poster
MooseBreath · 04/09/2023 08:14

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 04/09/2023 08:11

You can say it’s ridiculous but I couldn’t work in an office with bright pink hair.
If you have ever been around young kids, they love to show off “look at my water bottle, look at my watch”- hair is like uniform, it’s to help create a level playing field for all children, to focus on learning.

In all honesty, the worst bullying I've heard of has been in the UK in schools with uniform and strict rules about appearance. Maybe a strong dose of individuality would help.

OP posts:
hdbs17 · 04/09/2023 08:15

Biker47 · 04/09/2023 08:07

The not allowing kids to have shaved heads has got to be the stupidest "rule" ever devised.

100%.

I'm constantly worried that my DS haircut is "too short" (grade 1) and he gets sent home in case he looks like some sort of skin-head bully. I'm just trying to keep his head cool!

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 04/09/2023 08:15

You can say it’s ridiculous but I couldn’t work in an office with bright pink hair.

Why ever not? I‘m a Director with brightly coloured hair. Several senior colleagues in several organisations have done the same. Including public sector.

ToBrieOrNotToBrieThatIsTheQuestion · 04/09/2023 08:19

Some things I can understand, like tying back long hair for safety in certain classes.

Not allowing a skin fade because it's less than a number 2 is mad.

historyrepeatz · 04/09/2023 08:21

One of our local grammar schools has no rules for hair except tied back during science and PE. They can colour and style as they wish.

Starlightstarbright2 · 04/09/2023 08:22

Because schools try and look more impressive trying to look like private schools this is where blazers come in ..

people come out with the same drivel - it levels the playing field / when grown up .

the children living in poverty are noticeable even more when looking at logo branded uniform, not everyone works in a job where hair needs to be a natural colour. If a child wants to be a solicitor then they know they can’t wear bright pink hair in court ..

i do wear a uniform my Ds doesn’t . I find it cheaper and convenient but then my employers provide my uniform .

gandeysflipflop · 04/09/2023 08:22

Having a nightmare at the minute over this as dd age 15 put a red wash out colour on her hair at the start of the summer holidays. it's been 6 weeks now and the bloody thing is not budging out of her hair. tried hottest water, baking soda, washing up liquid the lot.
DD is so stressed as she knows it's going to mean isolation or sent home on her first day back. this is a girl who has 100% attendance, never had a detention, and so far predicted all grade 8s at gcse as she is now starting year 11. The red tint has looked lovely on her hair over the summer and really suits her and will have no impact on her learning or behaviour whatsoever. This rule is ridiculous. we may have to dye her hair again a brown tone to hide it.

TeenDivided · 04/09/2023 08:22

Shaved hair, especially with patterns cut in, has connotations / links to gangs in some areas.

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