Boy, 4, Chooses Long Locks and Is Suspended From Class

[ccharles000]

HOUSTON — A suburban Dallas school district has suspended a 4-year-old from his prekindergarten class because he wears his hair too long and does not want his parents to cut it.

The boy, Taylor Pugh, says he likes his hair long and curly. But on Monday night, the school board in Mesquite voted unanimously to enforce its ban on Beatles haircuts, much less anything approaching coiffures of bands like Led Zeppelin. School officials say the district’s dress code serves to limit distractions in the classroom.

No exception could be made for the pint-size rebel, who sat through the hearing with his hair in a ponytail, manifestly bored.

“It’s a trade-off,” said one board member, Gary Bingham, an insurance agent, in an interview. “Do the parents value his education more than they value a 4-year-old’s decision to make his own grooming choices?”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/education/13hair.html

[rpannier]

1. Thanks for posting

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I give kudos to the parents for doing it through the channels, next stop is an appeal to the state education commissioner, rather than yelling that they're going to sue.

[DesertFlower]

2. i thought he was growing his

hair long so he could donate it to people who lose their hair from chemotherapy.

[marshall]

3. Apparantly he just likes long hair

Some girls like short hair--but nobody is preventing them from cutting it.

[DesertFlower]

4. exactly. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. That board member's quote is quite revealing

Expecting parents to choose between education and something as silly as a haircut.

I hope this little boy's parents sue this school district for every penny they can squeeze out of them.

[snot]

6. Why does hair inspire such power struggles.

[HuckleB]

7. I don't think is the first I've read of this.

But what a sad ending.

Ugh.

[hyphenate]

8. There is something more there

can anyone is telling. But then again, it's Bush country, and no other explanation is necessary.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. K&R!

[reggie the dog]

10. can girls have long hair?

what is funny is that were I a teacher there the male teacher would be able to have hair past his shoulders but kids would not.

[harkadog]

11. Four year olds don't have a right to determine their hair length.

Anyone who disagrees must not have children.

[RedRocco]

12. I would think that if the girls are allowed long hair,

that this would be sex discrimination?