Ohio school suspends boy over Mohawk

[imagirliegirl]

Ah...I just thought this story was funny and perhaps someone needed a laugh today.

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080227/ap_on_fe_st/odd_kindergarten_suspension)

"I understand they have a dress code. I understand he has a uniform. But this is total discrimination," she said. "They can't tell me how I can cut his hair."

Exactly how is expecting the dress code to be followed discrimination? Perhaps the school is discriminating against spikes. Or hair gel? Man, I'm smelling a federal case here. She should call up John Frieda and get him in on it. :p

Rather than request a hearing to appeal the suspension, Barile said she'll enroll him at another school. Changing the hairstyle is not an option, she said.

That was my favorite part. Good luck finding a school that will permit that. I never attended one that would. Why can't she just style it differently during the day and spike it when he's home? This poor kid isn't going to be given even a clue from her about what life is really like. Can't you imagine him showing up to a job interview? Oh, I'm sorry manager, changing my hair is not an option. LOL

I'm actually sad that national news outlets are giving this woman the time of day. But since they did, I feel the need to laugh about it.

[bookworm]

That was my favorite part. Good luck finding a school that will permit that. I never attended one that would.

Really? I didn't exactly grow up in the most progressive part of the world, but we had kids with mohawks (of course, this was back in the 80s-90s, so times may have changed). The big controversy in my day was shorts.

To me, they both fall in the category of "pick your battles." I wouldn't spent the energy fighting about (either side of) mohawks or shorts.


ETA: I somehow missed the fact that he was 6. We didn't have 6 year olds with mohawks, but I think they were still only in London then.

[laura]

6 years old! :eek:

I wouldn't waste time fighting either side of a 6 year old mohawk, either.

[pocket]

Really?

I'm on the mom's side there. Lots of little kids wear mohawks, long hair, natural hair, braids, shaved bald, turbans, dyed hair...the handbook doesn't specify hairstyles. It just says groomed. It doesn't seem a bit excessive to you to suspend a 6 year old over a mohawk? that's hardly an extreme hairstyle and Angelina Jolie's kid Maddox wears one.

[pixiecat]

I'm on the mom's side to an extent... I don't think a mohawk is a big deal & it seems pretty chic around here (thanks Angelina!). Then again, I don't think its a big enough deal to pull a kid out of school over.

[phoenics]

Wow - one of the kids had his head done up in a cute little mohawk for Halloween this year and I imagine he had to go to school after that and he wasn't suspended.

I guess I'm on the mom's side too.

I just don't see what's wrong with him having a mohawk if it's not expressly against the rules. Besides - today they're banning the mohawk - what if tomorrow they ban braids or dreadlocks?

Was his hair too tall or something? Kids couldn't see over him?

[pocket]

What about a mullet or a long tail? Or a little boy with long hair? If you are going to have a hairstyle rule you have to be specific. LOL - I see all the California girls are up in arms about this - we're like no way, man, it's your hair, don't let the man keep you down!

[SiValleySteph]

I'm on the mom's side as well. :)

Seems a bit excessive!

[jennylou]

Yeah, I wouldn't fight the hair on either side.

But, this one had me raise my eyebrows this morning - (http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2008/02/25/news/local/from_last_week/1aaa01_cross.txt) about two teens suspended for wearing crucifixes.

[phoenics]

Oh boy.

Okay and I HATE this ad about 'mixed chicks' at the bottom of this page.

[villanelle75]

I hate little kids w/ Mohawks. Sorry to any of you Mohawk moms.

That being said, I can't think of a single legitimate reason why this kid shouldn't be allowed in school. What possible harm could he be causing?

[imagirliegirl]

Hm...I guess school is different now. When I was younger, kids couldn't have unnatural hair styles or colors. It was no different than a dress code. They didn't want "distractions".

I guess I just find it stupid that she calls it discrimination and that she's willing to remove her child from school over hair. She knows the rules but doesn't want to follow them.

Oh well, I guess I should have known better. I just thought it was funny. :rolleyes:

[Kay]

While I personally wouldn't give my young child a mohawk, I don't see anything wrong with it. The dress code doesn't say anything about hairstyles. Kids had all kinds of different hairstyles when I was in high school in the late 80's including mohawks. I probably wouldn't fight the school system over it either. Apparently mohawks are back in style. I should find a picture of my 23yr old nephew. He has a long spikey mohawk with blue hair. LOL

[Delta]

Ridiculous.

[SiValleySteph]

Oh well, I guess I should have known better. I just thought it was funny. :rolleyes:

Known better what? You're rolling eyes because other people read the story and saw things a different way?

It is funny in a "new of the weird" way. I found it absurd and in that way pretty funny.