School hair

[MooseBreath]

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 If so, why aren't parents saying that the rule is outdated and should be abolished?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?

Not from UK either. While I don't agree with uniforms, I can accept them. But I really can't get behind all the rules regarding socks, hair, coats, jewelry, nails etc. It's just being controlling for no reason.

100%. This is the sort of uniform rule that I strongly disagree with. White kids are demanding pink hair or number 1 buzz cuts (funny how girls don't need to "cool down", just feeds the sexist myth that boys are boisterous/active and girls "sit nicely" doesn't it) while BAME kids are being sent home because of rules that impinge on religious freedom or that literally discriminate against someone for their hair type and should never have been made in the first place. And apparently people can't see how preposterous this is or how it advantages the kids with the "right" parents/ethnicity/income.

Try getting some Colour B4 from Superdrug, it takes the dye out. I used it to strip black dye out of dds hair it worked really well.

Agree she shouldn't have to though, ridiculous rules!

My child attends an engineering school. The only hair related rule is long hair must be tied back in the engineering rooms and science labs when using equipment. It doesnt say anything about colour, gender etc. Honestly I think putting in place other rules just gives students something to try and get round. It's like a challenge for some teenagers to get away with something.

How to say "I know nothing of neo-nazi racism in schools" without actually saying those words

Colour b4 isn't great with red shades, but surely they can't discipline over what is a natural hair colour for some? My daughter couldn't attend a school that didn't allow red (nor could I have done at school age).

Yes, I think that's the point. Give them something to rebel about that is (with a few H&S exceptions) largely harmless

It’s just a control/image thing. Just tell the school you’re not going to pander to it and neither will your child.

I never did, and can remember some of the notes I took in with me saying as much! Never got into any trouble.

Obviously PE etc. is an exception, that’s for the sake of safety and practicality.

I’m sure most of us would tie our hair up out of our faces at the gym.

Thank you @PeskyRooks , off into town today so we will pick some up and give it a go. she is back in school on Wednesday.

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

The teachers at my child’s school had pink hair. The kids still managed to learn and pass GCSE. Loads of people in ‘offices’ have coloured hair.

I agree it’s an English thing not a UK thing- I pointed out to my (Scottish) teen that his skin fade with tramlines he decided to get before going back to school would win him detention in a lot of English schools and he just rolled his eyes at me. Multiple ‘unnatural’ hair colours are visible at the school gates too and uniform is extremely relaxed. I actually think possibly too relaxed as there’s pressure to wear branded hoodies/tops amongst the boys which cost a lot more than a branded school jumper would (or even a blazer).

I'm with you on this. If you're saying no dyed hair, it should apply to the whole school community, teachers included. I don't see how it matters what color or length someone's hair is.
It needs to be out of the way for cookery/science/PE and any subject that it could present a hazard.
I've seen many instances where children have been penalised for hair styles.
Thankfully a number of schools are now using the Halo code, which may help reduce issues.

It's to make them look professional. Teaches them for later in life once they become professionals.

Which is how it will stay until someone challenges it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve often been asked to become a magistrate. There’s no way I’d change my hair colour to do it.

Are you suggesting I’m not professional?

My hair hasn’t been my natural colour since I was 15. Has never prevented me getting a job, keeping a job, doing a job, or climbing the ladder. Heading for C-Suite position in the next 2-3 years, bright purple hair and all.

I had ridiculous hair, clothes, and makeup in school (bright orange hair, purple sparkly army pants, dark eyeliner), but manage to dress appropriately as an adult. And as a dance teacher, I have had blue hair without a problem.

God it makes me yawn when i hear these rules.

Im in scotland so really never come across these weird opinions of the schools.

The only time id expect guidance is for things that would could become and H&S issue like PE hair should be tied back or science/cooking for hygiene.

Other than that who the fuck actually cares.

I went to an all girls catholic school in Ireland and the rules were ridiculous. We had to have uniform colours down to the colour of hairties in our hair. I swore mine would not go to that kind of school and luckily got them into ET schools where there is no uniform and they can do what they like with their hair. One died his blonde hair brown over summer and has it grown out so it practically covers his face and not a word has been said.

@gandeysflipflop

Get some alphosyl shampoo. I have to have it for psoriasis and it strips colour.

It's a stupid rule about hair colour and lack of uniform is why I prefer working in FE to schools.

OP

Take a look at Japan, some schools there only allow short hair and if you don't have black hair then you have to dye it.

Obviously some of the rules are practical. Long hair tied back keeps it out of eyes and reduces transmission of nits.

The stricter rules are for the same reason we have fairly strict uniforms - to remove the scope for hairstyles becoming a huge fashion statement that is drawing unnecessary attention.

The restriction on shaved heads is imho not strictly adhered to but to be honest is probably a throw back to when "skinhead" styles had a very clear and aggressive association with neo-nazism which isn't something you want in schools.

They're not professionals. They're children.

Plenty of them will go into jobs where they can wear whatever hair they like. Most of them will go into jobs where they have no uniforms. A dress code requiring a certain level of formality is very different.

Later in life they're going to get paid for their work. Should we "teach them" for this by paying them for completing homework and per hour of school? Or do we recognise that they're in a different life stage and not in employment?

I wonder if the increase in more casual dress in the workplace will eventually filter down to school. I mean even hospital consultants are starting to give up ties.

I had ridiculous hair, clothes, and makeup in school (bright orange hair, purple sparkly army pants, dark eyeliner), but manage to dress appropriately as an adult. And as a dance teacher, I have had blue hair without a problem.

Yes but that sort of clothing also encourages kids to place a lot of value on what they look like. Is that really what we want kids to think?

Uniforms are boring, unexceptional, but the point is that means the children stop noticing appearance and it becomes more about your personality. That's a good thing imho.

A friend of DD's had this problem. She'd used a dye designed for blonde hair which said it should wash out in six weeks, so she'd not expected any problem, but it didn't go by the start of term. The school didn't apply any consequences. I would suggest contacting the school on the training day to explain - they will hopefully be understanding.
I didn't hear what happened about another friend, who checked the rules, which just said "no unnatural colours", so had coloured half her hair black and half white.