QOTD 3/28

minionlover · March 2014

I saw on the news this morning about an 9 year old girl who shaved her head in support of her best friend who has a rare form of cancer. She was subsequently expelled from her school because she violated the dress code which said the a student couldn't have a shaved head.

Since then the school board reversed their decision by a 3 to 1 vote. The one the opposed it said that the country makes too many decisions based on emotion and not common sense.

What do you think of the situation?

catwine · March 2014

I think it's great what she did to support her friend, but I also feel like the parent's should have talked to the school in advance. Maybe they could have avoided the expulsion in the first place.

BUT, on the other hand I understand why she was expelled...if you start to bend the dress code rules it may cause problems. Another kid might say they shaved their head for the same reason but really just wanted to cause trouble. As someone who came from a school with a dress code, I coudl see that happening.

consciousdear88 · March 2014

Agreeing with prior posts. I think it's great that she wanted to do something for her friend. However, places with dress codes can be touchy about that sort of stuff. Trust me, after thirteen years in private school, I've seen my fair share of stuff.

ramstein1027 · March 2014

Ditto to what Christina said. You can't just do whatever you want, there are rules in life. Part of what you learn in school is discipline, hence the dress code. It shows real immaturity on the part of the parents that they didn't even consider the school ramifications for their daughter. She had a sweet, kind idea and her parents weren't wrong to let her do it, but they were wrong in the way they handled it.

That said, I'm not sure why the school board wouldn't have made an exception for this special case. They could put an announcement in the school newsletter or website explaining the reason for the girl being allowed to break the dress code.

Both sides handled it poorly IMO.

goatlady12 · March 2014

Expelled for a dress code violation? Am I the only one that finds that extreme?

brainybrunette · March 2014

In my opinion, there are so many problems with the education system in America that breaking dress code to support a terrible illness should be the least of this school board's problems. It's just hair!

ramstein1027 · March 2014

I just looked this up, and I didn't realize it was a public school, I thought it was private. You give up some rights when you go to private school, since they're not state entities and not subject to the same legal confines.

So...that changes my answer a bit. But I still think her parents should have exercised better judgment.

mrshall1027 · March 2014

I think the parents should have definitely talked to the school first. If the parents would have talked to the school beforehand, I think the school would have okay'd it and this would have never been an issue. Even if she did break the rules, expulsion was a bit extreme in my opinion.

minionlover · March 2014

I'll be honest, if I were the parent, I am not sure I would have even thought to look in the school handbook to see if there was a "no shaved heads" policy. I think dress code and I think no mini skirts or profane language on tshirts.

islandmonkey8 · March 2014

As a Catholic school kid for 13 years, I even think this is ridiculous. Expulsion for a dress code violation? What ever happened to detention? Holy over reaction.

Also, my parents had no idea about all the dress code rules in my school. I doubt these parents read the whole handbook. No shaved heads seems like a ridiculous rule anyway.

ramstein1027 · March 2014

I'm probably biased because expulsion for "minor" things was not uncommon at my high school. I am guessing that is the exception, not the rule.

pockysquirrel · March 2014

I can't help but think that if it had been a MALE student shaving his head, the response would have been different. There's still a lot of shock value and stupid biases that go along with women having very short hair.

ramstein1027 · March 2014

^^ That's a good point as well.

In any case, what a neat little girl to do that for her friend! I once got a bob and it was traumatizing for me, so she is much cooler and braver than I!

LDubHawksFan · March 2014

I think it was blown out of proportion. The Parents should take more initiative to be proactive and should contacted the school. Now they just seem like they are being a bit AWish about it. What the girl was doing was great. But I understand that the school not bending the rules too.

sjs1013 · March 2014

@pockysquirrel I agree!

My school district's Code of Conduct is about 100 pages. The dress code is about half a page. I don't know anyone who flips through those 100 pages to find the half page on dress code. My district is a uniform district. I have about a 5% compliance on a regular basis. That information is in the Code of Conduct. They stopped issuing Code of Conduct books about 2 years ago and only have it available online. Parents get a notice about it at the beginning of the year and are given a slip to sign that they acknowledge and agree to it. Most don't read it.

What this little girl did was wonderful! She wanted her friend to not feel so different. Her parents have done a wonderful job teaching her to be a good person. Should they have called the school and let them know what she did? Probably. I heard about this through my union a few days ago. The district didn't let her back in until there was a local social media campaign to allow it. It's public school. Should they have suspended her for the violation, maybe, expulsion, a bit dramatic. It may set a precedent for others, it may not. Expelling a child isn't doing anything.

I do agree that children need to learn limits, but this school district went to extremes.

mana8503 · March 2014

Why are shaved heads an issue? Don't boys shave their heads once it gets warm? That's what happened at my school growing up. Once it got above 70 boys got shaved.

I'm sorry, if my kid came up to me and said "hey mommy I want to support my friend and shave my head so she doesn't feel out of place" my heart would be so filled with joy I wouldn't even think twice to ask the school. What would the previous posters say to their kid after learning the school said no? Mmmm sorry baby, school said no, you can't support your friend. F that noise. This is a bigger lesson that anything a 9 year old can learn in school - compassion.

Btw we had a girl with cancer in our elementary school, would she be expelled if she didn't wear a wig? We didn't have ac so some days she only had a bandana because the wig was too hot.

QOTD 3/28

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