Hair Length Debate

Last week the Texas school board suspended a preschool aged boy because his hair was too long.  Not sure if I had a flashback to the 70s or if we have lost sight of rules, choices and priorities.

I am a proponent of a dress code in schools.  In my opinion it sends the right message regarding appropriate appearance and it eliminates the need to debate every slogan t-shirt or questionable fashion trend.  My son's school has a dress code that does not include restrictions on hair.  We have chosen this school for him (it is private) and therefore we adhere to the rules in place.  All the rules, whether we agree with them or not. Maybe this family should have reviewed the dress code policies of this Texas school prior to enrolling their child.

I believe that if you disagree with a rule you should do something to change it.  That does not mean take the easy way out and just refuse to follow it.  It means taking a stand and making a choice.

That being said, I think this policy is wrong and disagree with the school's reasoning.  Rules are in place to protect.  In case of school, I would think it is to protect the integrity of the education.  Allow students to learn in a safe environment.  If your hair is long  how is that a distraction or impediment to the learning process?

The school's reasoning for this stance is "students who dress and groom themselves neatly, and in an acceptable and appropriate manner, are more likely to become constructive members of the society in which we live." I couldn't disagree more with this statement.  First, when did neat grooming equate to short hair?  Second, who decides what is acceptable and appropriate?  Third, are you saying people with long hair are not constructive members of society? Any comments from Texas when Jonathan Schwartz took over CEO position of SUN Microsystems in 2006 wearing a ponytail (see photo).  

For the longest time, I adhered to a strict dress code at work:  dark suit, white or blue blouse, hose, heels and  light jewelry.  The dot.com explosion changed that for me.  The high rolling IT companies had execs in jeans, dogs roaming the halls and basketball nets in the conference rooms.  All of a sudden my "uniform" connoted old, slow and declining profitability.  Many of these guys had long hair, and they were not only constructive members of society, they were the ones we all wanted to be.


Granted that your appearance dictates people's reactions and judgements on who you are.  That is unavoidable and sometimes desired.  Know what your asking for and accept it, better yet use it to your advantage.


My son has long hair.  Do I like?  Sometimes.  Why do I let him keep it long?  Because he keeps it clean, I don't believe it is making him evil, and he likes it.  He deals with the comments. Recently, he was at a friend's party when the grandmother told him he should never have been allowed at Nichols (his school) with that horrible hair.  Ok, her opinion her prerogative but HIS hair.  Can't tell you how often my parents chastise my decision to let him keep it that way.  Again, their opinion but MY child.

We spend so much time focusing on outward appearance and making judgements based on aesthetics, that we forget to look at what really matters.