Four year old Texas boy suspended due to long hair

[dududf]

I wouldn't really care. It wouldn't even effect my ego, as I think my ego dwarfs the universe.

Oh yeah? Well my Ego is so dense, that it's a god damn stable black hole that makes vacuum ripples in space that utterly controls the fabric of everything.

 

[saxist01]

If they would stop being Orwellian nutjobs then this wouldn't happen.

No, the parents should just cut the kids hair. They can argue the rule at the next PTO meeting (parents meeting) if they feel like it needs to be changed. They're putting their son through what I imagine is a very difficult spot for a 4 year old.

Plus, in the article it says that the school is infamous for being strict on their dress code. I mean, they knew what they were getting into, and they chose to anyways.

They're scarring a young innocent child for the sake of a giant pissing contest.

Actually, we're missing a very important piece to this discussion. Is this pre-kindergarten class mandatory? If he's required by law to be there, technically the school has no right to enforce this part of the dress code because it could not be shown to disrupt learning, or incite violence. But I don't remember anything before kindergarten ever being mandatory. If this is some type of voluntary head-start program, the school might be draconian, but well within it's rights to enforce hair length until the kid reached kindergarten.

 

[saxist01]

Kids arguing over hair styles? Having people calling guys with long hair "fags".

I don't know, I'm just being the being the... *hits head at loss of the word* You know the word from where you go on the opposition for arguments sake? Yeah that.

Devil's Advocate, that's what you're being.

 

[Pimppeter2]

If they would stop being Orwellian nutjobs then this wouldn't happen.

No, the parents should just cut the kids hair. They can argue the rule at the next PTO meeting (parents meeting) if they feel like it needs to be changed. They're putting their son through what I imagine is a very difficult spot for a 4 year old.

Plus, in the article it says that the school is infamous for being strict on their dress code. I mean, they knew what they were getting into, and they chose to anyways.

They're scarring a young innocent child for the sake of a giant pissing contest.

A few things. First, you can't chose what public school you go to. Trust me, I tried. Second, scarring? Really? Seeing your parents killed in front of you scars you. Being raped scars you. Having one of your pets gunned down in cold blood scars you. Accidentally killing one of your pets scars you. Being forced to eat human remains scars you. Having your arms eaten while you watch scars you. Locked in syndrome scars you. Accidentally killing a loved one scars you. Being mauled by a dog at a young age scars you. Being in a plane crash scars you. Friends being killed in front of you scars you. There is plenty of things that scar you. This isn't one of them.

They could have send him to a private school. If they don't have the financial capabilities to do so, then they really should just be trying to fit in and get by. Not getting ready to pay lawyers to sue and stuff like that.

And yes, this does scar the way the kid will grow up and how he will fit into society.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Way to enforce stereotypical gender roles, Texas. God, haven't you done enough to fuck up the school system already? [http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-march-17-2010/don-t-mess-with-textbooks]

 

[dududf]

Kids arguing over hair styles? Having people calling guys with long hair "fags".

I don't know, I'm just being the being the... *hits head at loss of the word* You know the word from where you go on the opposition for arguments sake? Yeah that.

Devil's Advocate, that's what you're being.

Ahh why thank you good sir, I had Advocate but I didn't know the rest. It is appreciated.

I tip my hat to thee!​

 

[Silent Eagle]

Segregated!? More like discriminated! I can understand if you couldnt have a job in food service or something... But to expel a four year old for long hair!? That is just awful.

 

[Klarinette]

What?? That kid's hair isn't even long!! He's been serving an in-school suspension because of that? Poor kid. "I miss my friends." Awwwww

As important as it is to follow a school's rules, that rule is definitely a bullshit one. Minimizing distraction? Seriously? As far as I'm concerned, the rules are in place to keep order, keep students and staff safe, and to ensure that learning isn't hindered in any way (like they said). How does long hair affect any of that? That's right - it doesn't. Incidentally, my hair is down to the middle of my ass, and I'm a college graduate.

 

[ionpulse2]

Wow. Just... shit.

I... I'm seriously stunned at this story. I thought the 5 year old that got arrested for "sexual harassment" was bad, and now this? Jesus Christ. What is wrong with these people? Seriously, this makes no sense. Every human being is born with the right that they should be able to do what they want to do with their body, and if this little 4 year old kid wants to have very mildly long hair, then who the hell has the right to deny that?

The School System, you say? Bah! Everything about that system is ridiculously flawed, the fact that it still exists in its current format is a testament to human spinelessness and stupidity. Dress codes as a whole can be very suppressing, but if you need to have one for whatever reason, they need to be at least a bit flexible in it. Restricting hairstyles to the ones that they deem appropriate is just dumb. It serves ZERO purpose, and causes conflict where there needs none.

And those people who say that the parents should've just cut the kid's hair? They could've done just that, you are correct. But where does that leave us? All that does is strengthen their argument a little more, or in this case (b/c of the media coverage and whatnot) a LOT more. You may think that this doesn't matter at all, but it just gives them all the more reason to trample all over our rights. It starts at a dress code, but WHERE DOES IT END? Situations like this snowball out of control if people don't decide, early on, to stop it.

 

[Con Carne]

I have to admit, having to cut the kids hair does suck.
But a rule is a rule, and if that rule were made clear to the parents when they enrolled their child, then it's their fault. They should cut the boys hair.

A rule is a rule. But what is the purpose of a rule, if only to be a rule? Does it hurt anyone that this childs hair is longer than the social norm? Or is this rule in effect because principle (or higher) believes a boy/man should have short hair?

Ask yourself why rules and laws exist. Look for the reasons. Then ask if they're so nessessary as to need to be obeyed. In this case, I would say no. A rule is a rule only because someone says so, and has the authority to make it so. But the rule is unjust, and utilizes its authority on this family unfairly.

Unfairly? Really? I've had long hair for years, and I've been refused job positions because of them. I completely understood why. Because those are the rules of the place I applied at.
Do I think it's a stupid rule? Absolutely. But whatever the reason may be, the rule is there.
I'm assuming the parents more than likely knew the rule of their child's school before or upon enrollment. It's kinda like when Willy Wonka told the fat kid "Please don't eat the chocolate from the chocolate river." The little fatty german kid didn't listen and he got his big ass pumped up into the big tube.
It's a rule. Plain and simple. If the parents didn't like said rule, they shouldn't have let their kid go to that school.

What you're thinking about here is professionalism. In the business world, you convey an image, and a lot is said about this image. This is based on the social happenings of the past 30 to 40 years, really starting in the 1960's. Some places have rules of professionalism in place because of the image it projects. Long hair in the professional environment goes against that image.

The difference here is that this is a child, in school. He's like, six or something. He's not applying to a job, he's not required to abide by a social code that's been in place since the 1920's for men. what's more, he shouldn't be forced to.

This is what I'm talking about, when I say you should think about a rule before blindly following it. Rules are the social construction of people, and people are flawed. Work place professionalism? Short hair yes, because of what the social order has to say about professionalism. Elementry school short hair, because it's in the schools dress code? HOGWASH.

I already said it's a stupid rule. I agree the child's hair shouldn't be an issue.
Professionalism, or the social scene it's all about image. The school has the stupid rule. Whether or not the child knows better, the parents do. The hair should be cut if they want their child to attend THAT particular school. It's like sending your kid to a private school and not making them adhere to the dress code....then you shouldn't make your kids go to that school. It's common sense. Whether it's a civilian job, or a school, or the military. There are rules that are put in place for whatever the reason. But from the time we're able to start using logical thought, we're being prepared for the real world. Just about everything we do, is practically done to set us up for the "real world." But the great thing about us is the fact that we have the choice, to not deal with something we don't agree with. By sending their child to that school the agreed to abide by the school's rules. Now that the school is saying "You're breaking a rule, knock it off!" The parents suddenly don't wanna listen. The parents need to get over it and cut their child's hair or transfer him to a different school.
(The school could very well agree to let it slide, but you and I both know it probably won't happen. Because I reiterate....The "No Long Hair Rule" is stupid.)

The point I was trying to drive at my second time was trying to encourage you to utilize a healthy amount of skepticism and thinking when considering rules or law. Because while you may do well in society by blindly obeying, a lot of injustice and dubious authoritative bullying goes on in the name of social order. This article being one of them.

I understand full well that social bullying and heinous fuckery most foul happens on a constant basis. i just think it's a matter of knowing when to pick and choose your battles. And when it all comes down to it, this article and so many others are so trivial.

 

[Gauntes]

My hair's taller that that kid
and I ended up alright

now if you'll excuse me, I have to drink out of my toilet for nourishment

 

[Skeleton Jelly]

But....long hair means you're awesome...

 

[Coldman42]

Well that was retarded...

 

[Pimppeter2]

Why should one have to just fit in? Why are we not allowed to be individuals? Also, how will this scar him? I had much bigger problems in Elementary School, and I'm not scarred by them.

I never said that the rule was a good one. I just said that the parents should fallow the rule for now, so that the kid is subjugated to his isolation anymore. They can argue the hair thing later, but for now they're hurting him by arguing.

The kid is four years old. He has no idea how society works, all thats happening now is that he knows he doesn't fit it. It scars him because he is young. The kid can't even color with the lines and people are telling him that he isn't normal.

 

[Bat Vader]

I think you're all missing what Pimp is saying which is why some of you think it's weird..
He's not saying that he agrees with the dress code, or that the school is reasonable.
He is saying that the parents are making a big deal out of something that is causing trouble for their kid and are going about it the wrong way.

They're fighting the suspension, which was just according to the rules. They should be fighting to get the dress code changed which does mean that they'll have to comply in the meantime or they'll be suffering the consequences of breaking the rule until it's changed.

THANK YOU

I would bake you cookies and send them to you if I could (or knew how )

How is it causing problems for the kid?

Oh I can answer that one, 1) He's being alienated from his friends from which hamper how he works, 2) His education is being hampered due to being removed from class, and 3) he has undue attention being drawn upon him.

The first two are caused solely by the school. If they would stop being Orwellian nutjobs then this wouldn't happen. The third one makes no sense. Undue attention? How is this a problem?

I think both the parents and the school are at fault for not being able to compromise over the situation. The school has a policy against children with long hair and I do believe that rule needs to be followed. At the same time I do agree with the parents that the rule is silly and he should have a right to have long hair.

This kid is being denied an education just because of long hair. In my opinion education is far more important than long hair. Neither side is going to give up willingly so one of them has to be the better man and I think it should be the parents. If they shave some of his hair off it will allow him to go back to school.

In the end the only compromise I could see is if the parents home schooled him. Which would pry be the best option.

Both the school and the parents have turned a mole hill into a mountain.

 

[dududf]

Why should one have to just fit in? Why are we not allowed to be individuals? Also, how will this scar him? I had much bigger problems in Elementary School, and I'm not scarred by them.

I never said that the rule was a good one. I just said that the parents should fallow the rule for now, so that the kid is subjugated to his isolation anymore. They can argue the hair thing later, but for now they're hurting him by arguing.

The kid is four years old. He has no idea how society works, all thats happening now is that he knows he doesn't fit it. It scars him because he is young. The kid can't even color with the lines and people are telling him that he isn't normal.

God dammit, I gotta ask.

Fallow? It doesn't come up as a typo, and yet I think you're suppossed to say Follow.

It's driving me insane.