Long hair gets high schooler in hot water

by Roger Sinasohn (Subscribe to Roger Sinasohn's posts) Oct 17th 2007 11:33AM

Categories: Teens & tweens, Alcohol & Drugs, Education

We've seen students who want to bring a bible to class and are allowed to do so. There are muslim kids who wear head scarves during soccer games. One student in Texas, however, is not being allowed to follow the dictates of his religion. Eighteen-year-old Ben Daly of Leakey, Texas, has been told by school officials that he must cut his hair.

Daly, however, says that the Old Testament forbids cutting your hair. So Daly is being taught in isolation, away from the other students. "I get to go outside for 15 minutes just to exercise," Daly said. At a school board meeting, Monday night, the board voted unanimously not to back down from their position of supporting the school's dress code.

Daly, his father, and their attorney will now consider what their next steps will be. In the meantime, Daly continues to be kept separate from the other students will not be allowed to participate in school activities. Because, as we all know, long hair is just the first stop on the road to such horrors as unshaven legs, shirts not tucked in, and -- worst of all -- dirty underwear!

The most ironic part of the whole story is that this all comes shortly after Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a bill into law that protects students from being disciplined for expressing their religious views.

Source

Comments (11)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Joy 10-17-2007 @ 12:19PM

Part of me wonders if this is a religious belief or the kid just wants to wear his hair this way. Whatever the reason, I can't see what's wrong with it. Hair is important to a lot of us and it's a personal choice I think. Unless there are health issues like lice or something, leave the kids alone.

kate 10-17-2007 @ 12:40PM

This is outrageous! It's one thing if this were a private school, but at a public school?? I suspect it has to do with his being a Rastafarian, not a Fundamentalist Christian. I hope he DOES take it all the way to the Supreme Court.

DaMoKi Bob 10-17-2007 @ 1:03PM

Roger,

As one gets older, the normal social and political outlook seems to turn more conservative. Apparently, I am not normal: conservative as a youth, I appear to be in a liberal shift on a few issues.

The strange thing is I support school dress codes, even uniforms. I think, because in High School, I noticed all the kids rebelling against this and that seemed to wear the same “uniform”. Even now, you see it in action in the corporate world, schools, and fast food restaurants like McDonald’s (I don’t mean the employees, I mean the patrons wearing the “I-just-mowed-my-lawn” attire to eat out, which lends credibility to the use of a clown as a mascot. I am sure these are echoes of my childhood…. I also support the wearing of religious attire, if legitimate. It too is a uniform of sorts, yet not necessarily within the parameters set forth in the school board’s dress code.

I am disappointed a school board is taking a pass on an opportunity to set an example by showing the strength of the American approach to things like tolerance, understanding, freedom, compromise, and clear thinking.

Two things: 1) is it not late in the game for them to flex their bias, and 2) I keep hearing another echo, “…content of their character.” A parent’s job is not to make kids think or look like their parents, it is to guide their kids in the cultivation of skills, habits, and attitudes so they develop confidence, integrity, and the ability to think for themselves.

The length of your hair is certainly not considered a reflection of any of the above, and if in fact born from a particular religious dogma, accommodation should be made. Besides, if he cuts it, he might lose all his strength…

Oh, an afterthought: His segregation from other children during this process is outrageous! What is the danger to the other kids? Hair is not contagious; if it were, I and many other balding guys would stand near those with a full mane, regardless of their religion.

DaMoKi Bob 10-17-2007 @ 1:26PM

Roger,

Just a comment about the "dreadlocks" - there have been a number of court cases regarding the wearing of dreadlocks, and the ruling as far as I know, support wearing them.

Stephanie 10-17-2007 @ 2:21PM

I can't believe they're segregating him from the other students over long hair. That's just outrageous.

Long hair is not a danger to anyone, and I'm sure there are plenty of girls with long hair at that school. What makes it so wrong for a boy?

K 11-25-2007 @ 9:59PM

This is not only a personal rights issues but a constitutional issue as well. If anyone noticed, this young man is 18 years old which means the constitution applies to him. I'd love to see these stuffed shirt administrators try to get away with this because there is no way they can. This kid is of legal age and is protected to exercise his religious beliefs under the United States Constitution.

Robin 1-15-2008 @ 3:00AM

I'm not here to dish on you, but under the law enacted by the constition any one of any age is entitled to it's laws, all of them. This means any child discriminated against by any state or civil means is entitled to constituton law. All of us. This is nothing but a violatin of civil rights. If you can go back many years you can find a case close to this. The kid won!!!

Robin 1-15-2008 @ 3:01AM

State has no forum over the constitution, he has every right to his religion. He also has the right to not take abuse. If I were to go and randomly cut someones hair I could go to jial on a Felony charge of aggravated assalt. how do they get away with this? There was a case years ago when a woman had her hair cut off in a bar, she filed a suit claiming assault, in the first , claiming she had been disfigured in the result of the attack. She did win but not sure on degree, this should be a consideration in the debate on this story. I hope anyone who reads this can remember, I think it happened in New York.

Dawn 1-15-2008 @ 4:32AM

My 16 year old son has very long hair. He gets discriminated against constantly. People are always calling him a lady, or "mam" or asking him if he thinks he's a girl. Even my own mother in law, who is supposed to love her grandchildren, makes fun of him, and I refuse to bring my children anywhere near her ever again because of this. He's a human being and he has feelings. It hurts him, but he is also a very strong person, and believes he has a right to BE who he is. He is a clean cut, good kid. He never gets into trouble in school or outside of school. He is an honor roll student who has always made straight A's and his teacher's like him a lot because they know he is a dedicated student who cares about his education, and they always have nothing but wonderful things to say about him at every school conference. He is also a very gifted musician, and prefers to spend most of his free time playing his guitars, at which he is very adept. I have always encouraged my children to express themselves in a positive way, but also in a way that honors who they feel that they are inside and in a way in which they are comfortable. Would that more people were comfortable in their OWN skin. When I was growing up and attending high school in the 1980's almost ALL of the boys had very long hair, earrings, etc, so my son's appearance is very normal to me; however, society does and probably always will "judge a book by it's cover" and I guess that people assume that long hair on a boy means you think you are a girl or are gay, or are on drugs, or can't hold down a job, and are lazy, or dirty, etc... and short hair means you are a boy. I never have to wonder where my child is at night like some parents do. He's in his room playing his guitar or doing his homework. I find this mentality ridiculous, and I am so tired of stereotypes being placed on people. Why do so many people feel the need to judge others, when NONE of us are perfect, let alone in a position to pass stereotypical judgments on our fellow human beings? When a girl has short hair, people don't go around calling her "sir" or accuse her of thinking she is a man! It hurts me as a mother, for people to judge and ridicule my child. I refuse to make him cut his hair off, just to please other people. The only person that should be happy being him, is HIM. Last week another student at school threw chewing gum in his hair. I was heartbroken at how hurt and upset he was. I spent an hour getting it out with peanut butter. He is a wonderful person, whether his hair is short or long. Your kids will probably be listening to his music one day. He also has hopes of becoming a doctor, and he is smart enough that he can achieve this. He may be your doctor one day. Live and let live and don't be too hasty to judge people because they don't fit into the stereotypical societal molds. I watched a program on tv a few months ago, where a long haired boy was murdered by two "rednecks" because they thought he might be gay, or that he thought he was a "girl". They kicked him to death. What is wrong with people! They must be really manly, because they have short hair and can gang up on a defenseless teenage boy and beat him to death. It's just incredibly sad. It's only HAIR. It's a personal preference and expression. The length should make no difference regardless of a persons gender.

just me 1-15-2008 @ 5:07AM

I am 51 years old, male, hair to my waist. I work a respectable job and no one has anything to say about my hair...if they did I would tell them it is none of their business and to mind their own.

kelly 1-15-2008 @ 6:13AM

Well Dawn,
try moving by an Indian Reservation. I live by one and all the men have long hair. The little boys have long hair. The teenage boys have long hair, and the old men have long hair. The only time I ever heard a comment, was when a guy decided to go short!

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