My 5 year old daughter is a cancer survivor and I shop support for cancer survivors and victim any chance I get. However, rules are rules. If she wanted to show support for her father, she should have found a different way!

GO GIRL!

I am the mother of a 12 yr old girl. A friends aunt was diagnosed last school year with breast cancer, he wanted a ribbon design in his hair. The school said he couldn't have it. My daughter understood the reasoning. If he was allowed, or if this girl was allowed, then anyone should be allowed to wear anything and everything because everyone has a cause. If you allow one person to get away with something then everyone has to be treated the same. I so agree with the decision to suspend her. She and her mother knew the consequences of their actions.

Why is it that some people have no respect for those who die from this cause.
I think it is commendable that she would honor her father this way.
it also brings to light how far we have to go to prevent this from happening to other children & families.
the school administration is wrong on this one, Don't they have more important matters to worry about?

At my old school system, upon enrollment, everyone got a handbook. Though the rules may be a little outdated, it was a smallish majority religious town, this rule said NO hair colors that could not be deemed as natural... MEANING.. blue, pink, green... girls/guys could do the terrible yellowish-bleach blonde, or even goth-black... but, no purple, etc. IF ONE STUDENT BROKE THE RULES FOR WHATEVER REASON, the other kids would easily make up excuses! I got sent home the very last day of my senior year, for a semi-permanant blue streak. Still, rules are rules, stupid as they are!

At my old school system, upon enrollment, everyone got a handbook. Though the rules may be a little outdated, it was a smallish majority religious town, this rule said NO hair colors that could not be deemed as natural... MEANING.. blue, pink, green... girls/guys could do the terrible yellowish-bleach blonde, or even goth-black... but, no purple, etc. IF ONE STUDENT BROKE THE RULES FOR WHATEVER REASON, the other kids would easily make up excuses! I got sent home the very last day of my senior year, for a semi-permanant blue streak. Still, rules are rules, stupid as they are!

THANK YOU for your posting! I agree, the color of a student's hair should never be an issue in school. It's time people quit blaming others on their children's behavior. If a child is having trouble in school, ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH YOUR CHILD, don't blame another child for paying tribute to her deceased father by having pink hair.

You have my TOTAL RESPECT for being a teacher. It never pays what it's worth, and we should ALL pay attention to your opinions, since YOU are helping to mold our children into fine adults!

Hats off to you!

I don't think she should have been punished for this. I got suspended in 9th grade for having unnatural looking hair even though I had never dyed it and yet my boyfriend had black hair with one big white spot in the front and no one ever said anything to him. I took it to the student council and the parents and had it revoked. I was so upset about it. I didn't give in and now that school can have whatever color they want in their hairs because no one ever really pays attention to it past the first time they see it.

It amazes me how much times have changed. I was a senior in 1996 at a very small public school and there was no problem at that time if we dyed our hair. I had mine green for a long time. I never got into any trouble for that. It makes no sense to me why this girl wouldnt be allowed to dye her hair.
What is the big deal about kids dyeing their hair different colors? I must be missing something here. I do know that she did it in memory of her dad and what I did was just "out of the norm". So there is a difference.
But at the same time, why does hair color make any difference in a child's progress in school? I can understand if she was older and had a job, but she's a kid. And kids nowadays are dealing with way bigger problems than we dealt with 12 years ago.
I personally think the rule is just plain dumb. The school should worry about more important things like guns, knives, drugs, gangs, bullying and racism. I don't think pink hair comes under any of those catagories.

Its stupid that she was suspended. I went to private school myself were they only allowed natural hair colors, but even my school would be accepting to this idea. My school smiles upon students who wish to show their support to a great cause, except for extremes I'm sure.

Absolutely rediculous!!!! I think it is wonderful that there is a teenager out there that cares about someone or something besides themselves. Cancer awareness is a very important issue and the more people that support that and honor its victims, well I say good for you. Is there something written somewhere in their student hand book that says students are not aloud to dye their own hair. And would she have gotten suspended if she dyed it school colors? Lets not discourage our kids from being passionate about something so important. And as far as a distraction, I'm sure her fathers death is a much bigger distraction for her than pink hair is for the other students!!! Encourage her to show her support in other ways if the hair thing is a written rule!

Jillian - I have to disagree with you. I also teach high school and I notice the kids act so much better on dress for success days. Some teachers give bonuses for professional dress. On dress down days the kids are unbelievable to manage. Give me uniforms and strict rules. These kids can experiment with "who they are" after school. I do!!!

I agree with you as a parent, Jillian, it's not a child in rebellion that we're talking about. We're talking about a child who wants to do something to honor someone they love who has passed on, schools need to have more children like her. Sounds like the administration needs to grow up.

I teach in a junior and senior high in a not so wonderful area. Alcohol and drugs are the outlook on life. If the worst my kids ever did was dye their hair, I would be the happiest teacher on the face of the planet...

WHAT WOULD THE SCHOOL DO IF A ALBINO KID (NATURAL WHITE HAIR ) CAME TO SCHOOL?

Go girl schools dont care about teaching anymore they only care about controlling just like our great country is doing now telling us what we can eat,how much we can weigh now to be able to work in some states you get fine for your weight.telling us how to live this is all wrong if you want to wear your hair pink for your dad go for it i lost mine to cancer yrs ago.I am proud of you.We american people need to start standing up for our lifes and stop being told how to live.Well girl i wish you good luck and am glad mom is behind you and so are we.

"Missouri school" are private schools, not public. If she doesn't want to follow the rules she should quit and go to public school.

You might be a wonderful teacher but I want my children to learn to follow the rules. I do not want them to pick and choose as this mother was teaching her daughter. She could easily have worn a pick Cancer ribbon or perhaps tied a pink ribbon around a tree. Breaking school policy was not the only option to honor a loved one.

I am in complete agreement with you. My son wanted strawberry blonde hairI for grad in H.S. . He received in school suspension and forced to dye it back. Upon graduation the same principal allowed a student with florescent pink hair participate with the graduation ceremony. I was appalled by this decision. My son is an A student.