School says boy, 4, is welcome if his long hair is worn in braids

Taylor Pugh can return to his pre-kindergarten class without cutting his hair if he’ll wear it in braids that don’t touch his collar, says the school board. The four-year-old's parents immediately rejected the compromise; they're appealing to the Texas education commissioner. (Dallas Morning News)

Comments

[thomas]

Lower his collar.

[LimeGreenLizard]

I'm surprised they didn't suggest a sex change.

[Handy Dandy]

Man am I ever tired of both parents and school boards who gladly go to war over long hair. Imagine a world in which people jumped into the fray to do battle over things that mattered.

[Lambiepie]

so...tired...of...this...story

[RockyMtnMac]

I'm...so...with...Lambiepie

[pnwgal]

Oh for Bob's sake - cut the kid's damn hair. He looks like a girl in that picture.

This has become a power struggle between the school board and the parents at this point, and neither are going to budge. At this point, I think the four-year old is the most mature one out of the bunch.

[American Veteran]

As a 50's wearer of a duck's ass hairdo/cut, I side with the FREEDOM issue here and have absolutely no time for the neurotic, child abusing, time wasting control freaks who ENJOY forcing their nazi style uniformity on CHILDREN.
It is NOT disruptive for a kid to have his/her hair a little differently.
What IS disruptive is bastards like the flakes on these school boards and/or MISadministrations who orgasm over being "in charge".
That includes the assholes who support their evil ways.

[WellThen]

Leave the kid's hair alone.

Please, please, please don't make us go through the '60s again.

[american]

why don't these panty waist fagots on the school board just leave this kid alone so what he has long hair is that a reason the deprive him of an education. I had really long hair when i was in school and still do and had no issues like this what a bunch of assholes

[Aaron]

The school has a policy about no long hair. There are three ways to resolve this:
1. Ignore the rule (to allow the long hair)
2. Change the rule (to allow the long hair)
3. Don't allow the long hair

To break rules without good reason is idiotic. So, ignoring shouldn't be an option. That leaves options #2 and #3. I don't care -- just resolve it already.

[DCer]

I post this all the time, people without kids in public schools today, right now, have no idea what kind of utter craziness that teachers and administrators try to foist on us.

Here are some generally weird things:
1. A teacher demanded that all parents read to our children in Spanish for 30 minutes every night. Now, we were in a Spanish program, but 30 minutes every night in Spanish? The library had maybe 60 children's books in Spanish and we ran through them in maybe 3 weeks before we revolted.
2. A teacher hit me up for $100 on the playground. Just asked me for the money and then got upset when I refused.
3. A principal told me, point blank, that she could not legally bar unescorted adult men from the elementary school because they "pay taxes." Refused to hear another word about it. One call to her boss and she "announced her retirement at the end of the year."

[thomas]

LOL @ LGL!
Hope his mom dosen't wear prarie dresses.
They'll be kicking in the door to remove him to protective custody. I always believed Texas was founded on the principles of freedom. Wrong!

To quote Jimi Hendix;
"I'm the one that's gotta die when it's my time to die, so let me live my life the way I want to".

[Lou Sussler]

I completely agree w/ AmVet.

[Phranqlin]

This story has everything. A victimized little kid, authoritarian school admins, independent parents versus conformatist parents, and the inevitable comparison of the school district with the Nazis. The only thing that's missing is a rumble between the two groups of parents, which everyone knows is going down after the schoolboard meeting.

Gimme a head with hair
Long, beautiful hair
Hair like Jesus wore it
Hallelujah, I adore it!

[Christy Sanders]

Schools need to relax about these kinds of things. No one is getting hurt.

[American Veteran]

@Lou Sussler;
"I completely agree w/ AmVet."

So do I.lol

[behindbj]

A few things:

1. From the various articles I've seen, the parents signed the handbook sent home at the beginning of the year. If they didn't read it before they signed it, I can't help them.

2. The way mature people might have handled this is to cut the kid's hair, have him in school, and fight it out/work it out separately. The kid needs to be in school more than Mommy and Daddy need the attention.

3. They have other kids in the school district who manage to follow the rules - these rules are not new to them. But perhaps a need for money and attention are new to them.

4. When it first started, the mother said that the kid was growing his hair out to give to Locks of Love. If that was true, that would present a great opportunity to teach other kids about compassion and helping others. It's happened elsewhere (this being used as an example and a lesson). However, now it's because "he likes it like that." Well, which is it, lady? Or is it a third option: I want attention and I want to use my children to get it.

5. Braiding his hair will cause his scalp to bleed? Really? I wore braids for most of my childhood. Here's a tip: Stop pulling so hard on the hair...

I have no issue with the discussion about dress codes. Sometimes they go a little far, and sometimes they don't go far enough. There's a dress code where I work (albeit it's along the lines of "try to dress like a grown-up, and be a professionally-dressed representative when dealing with the public").

People also need to understand that dress codes are there for a reason. While I don't think this kid's hair is distracting, the next "freedom of expression" these parents decide for their kid may be (check out the father - he has "ear-stretchers" in his earlobes. While they don't particularly bother me, they don't belong in a child that age.). I can pretty much give odds on the parents going farther and then trying this crap again - because (in case no one's noticed) it's not really about the hair. It's about attention - anyone willing to use their 4-year-old for attention in this manner should receive a lesson in "it's not all about you."

As I said, his hair really doesn't bother me, but they knew the rules from the beginning of the school year. And they could have approached it in a more mature manner - like not screaming for attention. If you don't think that school board would most likely not have dug in its heels if the mother would have handled this in a more rational way, then you need to think again. Because as I said, it's not about the kid.

behindbj

[LimeGreenLizard]

And how is a boy in braids NOT distracting?

[Cat Martini]

If this is the biggest issue facing the public schools in the state of Texas, they must be churning out rocket scientists and brain surgeons left, right and center!

[jj2]

I agree with both Behind and Pwngal. The kid does look like a girl, a sad girl, and the parents are desperately in need of attention.

[The Hermit]

+1 Am Vet. The schools want everybody to fit the mould and be nice little commrads. Like others who fought for freedom, I value individualism.

[Krash]

You can bet your last dollar that if the
Kid were a Hasidim Jew, Amish or some other wacky
religious cult that don't let you cut hair, this issue
would be over ALREADY!

[RockyMtnMac]

dreadlocks!

[sometimesilie]

There was a Sign.

[LimeGreenLizard]

Pack him off to school in a bouffant and see what happens.

[Navy Chief]

@LGL - Would that be a bulbous bouffant?

[Yucca]

My Dad's and my preference was to have a high-and-tight until I was about 15 or 16. Then I went to the disco puffy hair look. (natural curls at that time) Then I was off to a institution that made sure you had a high-and-tight. Then when that was done it was college and hippie dreads. (nothin worse than a wanna be rasta) and now it's just falling out. And through all those changes not once was my education affected by my hairstyle. (except for the dreads which was more of a lifestyle choice than a fashion statement)

Although the kid looks ridiculous let him keep the hair.

[LimeGreenLizard]

You guessed my imagination correctly, Chief. Nothing on the collar, right?

[American Veteran]

phrankie,
If they did that, he'd have to stay in the closet.

[Lambiepie]

just show the school administrators the pictures you have of Jesus on your tree, toast, potato chip, frozen car window...
they all have long hair
maybe the school will change the rule

[Long Hair Hippie Kid]

Way back in grade school in the 70s(in Utah no less). Three brothers had long hair. The principal sent them home with a note stating they would not be allowed to attend classes until their hair was cut. Their mother shaved their heads and sent them back to school. The principal then sent them home a second time with a note stating the boys' hair was too short. The mother lawyered up and guess what? No more dress code and the principal who was up for promotion NEVER got promoted past elementary school principal. This battle has already been fought and won. Those who fail to learn from history are forever doomed to repeat it's mistakes.

[ReginaFilangee]

Cut his hair, for crying out loud. No 4-year-old has "freedom of expression" urges to wear long hair. That's nothing but his parents projecting THEIR expression onto him. They understood/signed the dress code. If they later choose not to follow it, they are FREE to enroll him elsewhere, in any school they choose which will allow him to exhibit whatever appearance the parents desire.

But where he is now, there is a rule for the hair. No reason in the world he can't wear his hair short during the school year, then indulge in long hair over the summer break. BFD. I think the school is being generous in allowing the braiding compromise.

[Lots42]

At this point, I wouldn't want the school employees around my kid. They are clearly a little too obsessed with children. It would be like hiring a babysitter with thirty Power Pack posters on his wall.

[Em]

You know, there was a boy in my first grade class back in the day, over 15 years ago, who wore his hair pretty long. No one said anything and he did not have to braid his hair. While some girls jeered at him for being a girl, the kid turned out fine. Whats happened since then, in the last 15 years, is another story altogether.

[Sigh]

Oh, the social liberalist in me says let people choose their own hair style. But, children don't have the same rights as adults. So, according to the Supreme Court, we must ask:
Is hair-style a form of expression? maybe.
Does it have religious meaning? not for these folks.
Does the hair code have legitimate educational goals? not really
Is the long hair disruptive to the educational process? debatable

I say let the kid keep the long hair, but I wonder what kinds of crappy parents think that this is the educational battle worth fighting in Texas. How about:
1. Intelligent Design
2. Political correctness in classrooms
3. Errors in textbooks
4. TASS (standardized tests)
5. No child left behind
6. Rising costs of college education
7. Low standards
8. Unavailability of advanced classes, magnet schools

[Navy Chief]

@LGL - Well, right before and after the drill weekend, no. Since it's been over a month, it's still not on the collar, but it's not in regs, either.

[johnjohn]

All Hail the Mighty State -

Well, the idea that dress codes are there for a reason is about as strong as we had prohibition for a reason...

sadly that reason is and was pure BULLSHI*. And we Texans know our bullshit. I think the schoolboard lost this one the minute they offered a compromise.

Also, besides it is blatant sexual discrimination. The girls get to wear their hair anyway they want, no? Short, long, mid-length, braided and or free flowing.

Goodness, I despise small souled bureaucrats with no imagination on power trips.

[Charles]

It is the school authorities who are disrupting this boy's education over a trivial matter. School officials should have no authority to ban anything which is not banned in the constitution and laws of these United States. Anything less than Liberty is Anti-American.

[Sandra]

That's ridiculous, he's four years old why does he need to have that??

[Mandy]

My son has always had long hair (now about mid back and really thick) but he is afraid to wear it in anything other than a ponytail in front of his friends even though he wears braids and buns at home. how do i help?

[Kathy]

I don't understand one thing that why always teachers threating student on long hair?

[Jackie]

Its really funny. As this news is already several months old, i am just wondering what happened next. Can you share in details with us.

[Kathy]

Actually I don't think this kid's hair is distracting, the next "freedom of expression".

[Monica]

I think it is good for most. If you start wearing your hair this way it will probably generate a few comments from friends. Just like any change will.

[Heather]

I ever tired of both parents and school boards who gladly go to war over long hair. Imagine a world in which people jumped into the fray to do battle over things that mattered.

[Monica]

Nice Article.

[Heather]

I ever tired of both parents and school boards who gladly go to war over long hair. Imagine a world in which people jumped into the fray to do battle over things that mattered.

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