Today my kids went back to school. They got quite a long holiday break. I don't mind having them around. I don't mind having their friends around. In fact, they all come in quite handy when something needs to be lifted or moved or when groceries need to be brought in. At 13 and 15, they pretty much leave me alone unless they are hungry or need cash. Since both those things are frequent, it was definitely time for them to go back to school.
Around 9 a.m. I missed a call from the school. I found the message an hour later. The voicemail said it was the vice principal, and he was calling about my son's hair.
I can't even go into the number of times over my kids' school careers that I've had to deal with the hair issue. At least once a year for about eight years, per kid. It hurts me to count. Haircut Nazis. That's what we parents in town call them.
My son's hair needed to be cut, there was no question about that. It was down over the ears and a little shaggy on the sides, and it was over his brows at the top. But it had a long way to go to get to his collar, and he has nice hair. As one storeowner told me, "He looks like every kid in the ads or on TV." An All American Kid.
But government schools today forced this boy to sit in a room and not in his classrooms because his hair was too long. He did not give a presentation he worked on over the break for his Honors History Class because he was in lock-down, ISS, detention. Something called "pass????" Whatever it is it means he missed four periods before I could get him sprung.
My kids have never been in trouble -- knock proverbial wood. Their school records from a discipline standpoint are flawless. They've made the honor roll more than not. They are good kids. They just like to wear their hair long, which I might add is not long. It's never caused me as a parent a problem. In other parts of the world (outside this little forgotten "paradise"), kids are not wearing their hair like ROTC wannabes. (They also don't tuck their jeans into their boots or say things like 'fixin,' but that's for another post...)
But a rule is a rule, and we knew he needed a haircut and had even planned to get one tonight. We discussed it at breakfast. Then the school intervened. No warning. No, get a haircut tonight. It was, "You can't go to class today. Report to that room, and sit down." Your hair is too long, therefore you don't get a chance to learn. He was lucky he had a book.
Anyway, after leaving a voice message and not feeling satisfied that my kid was in class (on a Pass) I called a second time and got through. I explained to the vice principal, "He needs to be in class. I can't pick him up right now. I am at work and have to make a living." Which is true, and I had deadlines, conference calls, meetings. I did not have time for a haircut on a Monday morning, not to mention most reputable salons are closed that day anyway.
I told the vice principal, "I realize you are doing your job, and I will be happy to take him for a haircut after school. But he does not need to be missing his classes. " With a promise (I found out later he took his sweet time) to get my son back in class, I began quizzing the man about the problems that long hair causes. He assured me it was a lot of problems, so I dwelled deeper. What sort of problems? "A lot of kids don't comply." Oh, and how does that cause problems? "They don't comply." But is it a problem? "It takes a lot of time." So it's a problem for you, "Absolutely." But are these kids causing problems because of their hair. "Yes it takes up a lot of my time."
Anyway, to make a long story short, I need to do something about the fact that the top administrators (at least in my experience at Lakeview -not so much - Mabank Middle -way too much- and Mabank High all are required to spend a "considerable amount of their time" policing and enforcing the haircut policy -- a policy, I might add, that applies only to boys. Girls can have hair more than halfway over their ear and hanging in their eyes if style warrants.
The vice principal couldn't tell me what problem the longer hair caused at school. No disruptions? "No." Is it harder for the kids to learn? "No." Does it consume a lot of your time and energy? "Yes." Could it be your fashion guidelines are outdated? "That's not for me to decide." That's right.
Elected officials -- some who have been on the board for decades -- are deciding that kids like mine who really need to be in class paying attention to bring that B up to an A, sit in a room and don't go to class because their hair is too long. Appointed (self-appointed practically in our case) superintendants dictate the policy, which is more like a pet peeve, and highly educated administrators WASTE their lives and BELITTLE THEIR CAREERS worrying about whose hair is too long.
If it wasn't so absurd, I'd laugh. Instead, I have to realize this has been going on in Mabank for a long time. It makes no sense. And if something this simple is so ridiculous, how are these yes-men and woman policing our millions of dollars on truly important things? You have to wonder. I'll keep you posted. All suggestions are welcome.
6 comments:
Connie I had no idea that our political views had so much in common. You and I both understand that there have to be limitations on almost everything; however, just like with our local Police Department, when PAID PUBLIC OFFICIALS actually have to work like the rest of us slobs they usually choose the path of least resistance. The "right to discernment" has for the most part been replaced with a "no tolerance" mentality that removes many of the civil liberties that we hold so dear.
I'm in your camp but we have a small camp because most of the "sheeple" don't want to be bothered.
I must remain anonymous for business reasons.
Good point! And I learned a new word: Sheeple. I love it. Let my Sheeple go!!
Oh, don't even get me started! LOL I'm very tired of the government (in this case, schools)telling us how to dress, speak, or think. It has been a process of attempting to get everyone to conform to a certain standard of look or behavior,... but who sets those standards for everybody? No one should. In a free, democratic society, you have the right to be whom ever you choose... provided you dont't infringe on the rights of others. As for minors, it should be up to the parents to decide if they like or don't like the way their kids look or dress.
Eventually (in the maybe near future) we won't be sending kids to school anymore as we will find it cheaper and much more effective to have kids go to virtual schools. They will still be required to log in at certain times, but everything will be done over the computer...so it won't matter WHAT you're wearing. Do you want your kids to learn or just have the government babysit them 6 hours a day? Less government, more personal responsibility... that's my agenda. If you think there's nothing wrong with it, your kid should be able to wear his hair down to his ass! It's nobody elses business except you and your child. It would then become your responsibility to explain how looking a certain way when you're younger can adversly effect your ability to find a good job (unless you plan on becoming a rockstar!)Americans need to wise up. So many of us want the government to do all our thinking for us, that if they're not careful.... that's exactly what they'll get, and by then it will be too late to take our freedoms back! You really want freedom? Check out Ron Paul.... :)
Amen, Sistah! (Or brother!)And I love how you Ron Paul-ians manage to plug him every chance you get! There is hope for the free-thinking world after all.
Not sure which son you were talking about, but he is lucky he just got a "pass." Several "A" students in Kerens are facing expulsion, alternative school, loss of extra curricular activities and possibly not graduating because of long hair.
As a member of the older generation, who thought the Beatles were long haired, I still fail to see what the length of one's hair has to do with their ability to learn.
But even worse, since there seems to be no disruption of class, etc and the only problem is the fact that it takes time to patrol the halls looking for kids to harass and trying to reach parents who are busy trying to earn a living, perhaps they need to use a little common sense (if that exists any more in these days of zero tolerance)and rethink the way they handle such issues. The administrators have more important things to do than look for kids who need a haircut.
Thanks, Mom. Now I know for sure where I get my rebel attitude.
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