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Should schools have the authority to dictate student's hair styles?

Should schools have the authority to dictate student's hair styles?


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    59
I say no, but fashion's moot in the face of the indoctrinated uniformity to which kids are subjected, both in and out of school. A quick note of the difference between the stunted and shattered wreck that emerges from graduation, and the potential god the child once was, glaringly highlights a systematised destructive process for which a bright green mohican could not compensate.
 
It's always a laugh to see people intermix notions of idealism with policy. Thread is a perfect example why policy always has to win out, ironically to protect the very people insisting on its demise.
 
I will say though that hair that is consistently in a child's eyes, obstructing their view/eyesight, is going to cause issues with learning and this could be a reason to regulate at least hair length/style just in relation to if it could affect learning, but it should be a very limited area, just enough to ensure there is no obstruction.
 
I will say though that hair that is consistently in a child's eyes, obstructing their view/eyesight, is going to cause issues with learning and this could be a reason to regulate at least hair length/style just in relation to if it could affect learning, but it should be a very limited area, just enough to ensure there is no obstruction.

I don't think anyone would be complaining if the school told him he had to tie his hair back into a ponytail and gave him a hair-tie.
 
Given the hormone levels in the later school years, the very presence of another student distracts other students from learning.

"if it distracts" is not an acceptable reason for disallowing something.

Perhaps if you mean "overly distracting"? Even that could be interpreted incorrectly though.
Just because you refuse to accept my reason does not make it unacceptable for a school policy. I guess if you spend enough time you may be able to find an adjective that could be interrpreted correctly every time, but I am suspicious...
 
Isn't that rather subjective, though? I mean, if "distracts other students from learning", then anybody could claim simple purple hair, or short hair on girls, or long hair on boys, makes others students look, and thus "distracts" them. It's vague enough to open up all kinds of potential bans.
It was not that hairstyles can't be distracting but those that distract students from LEARNING would be able to be banned.
 
I don't think anyone would be complaining if the school told him he had to tie his hair back into a ponytail and gave him a hair-tie.

Unfortunately, not every kid can do that. My youngest is autistic. I can't put anything in his hair. Even cutting his hair is a massive ordeal. He cries anytime I take him to a salon or parlor to get it cut, telling me "it hurts" (even when they are just cutting hairs nowhere close to his skin). The best experience we have had is letting my mother in law cut it just a couple of weeks ago before starting school. His grows into his eyes (even before it gets real long in the back), but it is very fine hair and refuses to stay to the sides. And even if I was comfortable using clips to hold it back, he would take them out.

For most kids though, I absolutely agree that this should be an option before having to get it cut, very similar to the girls with really long, floor length hair (I haven't known of a boy with floor length hair school age, but this would apply to them as well), who should absolutely have an option of just keeping it pinned/pulled up since it could be a safety issue to have it drag on the floor (hopefully anyone with hair that long would care enough not to do that anyway).
 
It was not that hairstyles can't be distracting but those that distract students from LEARNING would be able to be banned.

It would definitely have to be on a case by case basis, from a reasonable person standpoint. It would be easy to claim that any "out of the norm" hair might distract some students, but most hair styles, even outrageous ones, aren't going to keep attention for very long, particularly if the teacher has good control of the classroom.
 
I don't think anyone would be complaining if the school told him he had to tie his hair back into a ponytail and gave him a hair-tie.

Just like when somebody works in a restaurant. If they have long hair that gets in the way, they have to pull it back.

Edited: Just read RogueNuke's post, and in a case like hers, it would be different.
 
Just because you refuse to accept my reason does not make it unacceptable for a school policy. I guess if you spend enough time you may be able to find an adjective that could be interrpreted correctly every time, but I am suspicious...
I don't refuse to accept your reason, I'm asking for clarification
 
It has been clarified if you look above
But how do you enforce/measure "distraction from learning"?

Is it up to the individual teachers? The principle? Who decides which haircut is ok and which not? What if favoritism enters the picture?

And if you set hard rules, what if someone has a haircut which is borderline yet not at all distracting for whatever reason?
 
Yes, same as with private schools.

There is such a thing as "too outlandish to truly be fashionably acceptable" (i.e., multi-colored spiked hair) just as there as hair colors that are so bold they can be a distraction (a black and yellow bee-hive hair-doo [though to me that would be so cool]). That said, I think school systems can go alittle overboard sometimes with enforcing the rules (i.e., sending a girl home because she dyed her hair red when redheads though not frequent are "normal" hair colors).

Some things are judgement calls. I think hair color and hair styles can be, but overall I do believe schools should have the right to decide what hair styles are acceptable and which are not. But when making such a decision they should try to be fair, reasonable and consistent among the sexes in how the rules are applied.
 
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But the OP has nothing to do with 35 year olds. I agree with that sentiment. I've seen 65 year old women that dress like 20 year olds. They don't have the body for it, and it's disturbing. But it's their business.

The OP is talking about whether teachers should be able to tell students what kind of hairstyles they can have. You wore your hair the way you wanted to - why can't they?

What's good for the goose, and all that.

Different times, different attitudes. I paid for my rebellious ways. Kids today should too. Its a lifes lesson.
 
Different times, different attitudes. I paid for my rebellious ways. Kids today should too. Its a lifes lesson.

:lol: :lol:

Do you even have kids?

"Well in my day, we didn't wear our hair wild, so you'd better not! It's a life lesson!"

Dude, kids are going to roll their eyes at you and tell you they don't want to hear any, "I had to walk to school, both ways, uphill" stories.
 
Should schools have the authority to dictate student's hair styles?

Public schools.

Calling it "dictate" is pretty heavy handed.

Overall, I suppose within reason they should. I mean, it could be a legitimate safety issue if someone grew their hair out so long that it dragged six feet behind them.
 
:lol: :lol:

Do you even have kids?

"Well in my day, we didn't wear our hair wild, so you'd better not! It's a life lesson!"

Dude, kids are going to roll their eyes at you and tell you they don't want to hear any, "I had to walk to school, both ways, uphill" stories.

Then they can face the wrath of teachers and coaches. Like I did. Dude.
 
Short of not allowing kids to shave inappropriate words in their hair, no.
That, or something else that can be very offensive.

There is almost always a grey area to any similar question.
 
What difference does it make?

It makes a lot of difference. You can't very well give advice to or about kids, if you don't have any. I mean, you can. Child psychologists do it all the time. But someone speaking of behaviors in children carry a lot more weight if they actually know what they are talking about, and having kids is the only true way that you can understand.
 
It makes a lot of difference. You can't very well give advice to or about kids, if you don't have any. I mean, you can. Child psychologists do it all the time. But someone speaking of behaviors in children carry a lot more weight if they actually know what they are talking about, and having kids is the only true way that you can understand.

You forget, people like me. Maybe me specifically depending on your childs career path. Are the ones sitting across the desk interviewing him or her.
Making judgements on "childhood rebellions" that may carry over to adult hood. It happens a lot with people who just cant leave their highschool high rebellious ways behind and conform to society somewhat enough to enter the work place.
Oh, and my child is the COO of the company he and his cousin started. Owns his own home, truck, college educated, makes the most of his opportunities.
Asks for and gives no quarter.
And before you make a snide remark, no he don't mow lawns and I can garrantee he makes more than you and I combined.
 
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You forget, people like me. Maybe me specifically depending on your childs career path. Are the ones sitting across the desk interviewing him or her.
Making judgements on "childhood rebellions" that may carry over to adult hood. It happens a lot with people who just cant leave their highschool high rebellious ways behind and conform to society somewhat enough to enter the work place.
Oh, and my child is the COO of the company he and his cousin started. Owns his own home, truck, college educated, makes the most of his opportunities.
Asks for and gives no quarter.
And before you make a snide remark, no he don't mow lawns and I can garrantee he makes more than you and I combined.

You sit at a desk? I thought you said you were a cop.

As far as rebellions carrying over into adulthood, this thread is about kids. It's not about adults. It's about kids who have off the wall hairstyles. Most of us had off the wall hairstyles. I did. I was a child of the 70s and 80s, so I had a mullet, and at one time, had a rat tail that went down to my waist. I grew out of that ****, though, and am now a responsible adult. As most kids do.

And congrats on your son. Sounds like he grew up well. Good thing, being a COO of his own company, that he never had an off the wall hairstyle when he was a child in school. He might be in jail today instead of owning his own company. :shrug:
 
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