Student Sues After Forced Haircut

This is not a lot of money for grabbing a child and forcibly cutting his hair. First, this can have a long-term impact on the kid. Second, this is physical aggression towards the child. He may feel insecure and emotionally damaged because of this incident.
I would have done the same. The money is just a punishment, it wouldn't even make up for what the kid experienced. That teacher also needs to be kicked out.

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Sure we're a "sue happy" society, but the alternative would be for that child's mother to walk into the classroom, get the teacher in a headlock, and shave her head, so really the lawsuit is better revenge. Also, doesn't it creep anyone out that this lunatic was obviously grabbing this kid and using a sharp pair of scissors around his face? It's not just the hair thing, I think I would be truly frightened if I was the kid!

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I don't understand why so many posters are saying "it is only hair it will grow back". This isn't about a bad haircut. This is about humiliation, intimidation and abuse. I also disagree with SKL that this is character building. A lot of crap that kids endure in school ends up scarring for life which is just one reason why I homeschool my child.

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I don't think suing for 50,000 is too much.

It sends the message to the School system that it is NOT okay to physically touch a child (or grown up, we don't want him to think its okay to repeat this kind of behavior when he grows up) in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable when there's no threat of physical harm from that student.

If the parent's sued for the price of a haircut or did nothing, then the teacher's will still think they can get away with this crap. If the School Board had to shell out 50, 000, that would make them sit up and take notice.

Besides, if they sue for 50, 000 they'll probably only get about 10,000 (and they still have to pay the lawyers) anyway.

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How anyone could think "it's only hair and it will grow back" is beyond me. If he were beat up by the teacher would you say they are only bruises they will fade, or it's only a broken bone it will heal? Emotional distress is valid too.

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A word to the boy or his parents privately might have done the trick (or not), but the forced haircut was just a humiliating assault like scrubbing his mouth out with soap for bad language. Overkill.

If a private conversation didn't work, then the teacher might have invoked any grooming regulations the school had. Unless he was sitting in class playing with his hair or somesuch that created an offensive distraction to anything other than the teacher's personal sensibilities, I'm not sure how bangs dangling in the eyes created a greater threat than the teacher taking the matter into her own hands with a sharp instrument.

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I HOPE THE PARENTS CONSIDER THERAPY FOR THE BOY, WHETHER THEY WIN IN COURT OR NOT. A 10 YR OLD GIRL I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH WAS PARADED BEFORE THE CLASS BY OUR TEACHER FOR WETTING HER PANTS. SHE WAS NEVER THE SAME AFTER THAT, SHE WAS WITHDRAWN, DEPRESSED, AND COMMITED SUICIDE 4 YEARS LATER, LEAVING A LETTER THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE PANTS WETTING INCIDENT. AND TO THE PARENTS OF THE BOYS CLASSMATES: BE SURE YOUR CHILDREN DO NOT HARASS OR MAKE FUN OF HIM. A LITTLE COMPASSION FROM HIS FELLOW STUDENTS RIGHT NOW, COULD GO A LONG WAY IN THE FUTURE

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Are you kidding me? When I was in school kids used to get paddled in the middle of the hallway with an audience. I had a classmate that was publicly called out for eating boogers. I was called a liar for divulging that I have a family member who is a little well known. I was told to bring him to class so we could all hang out. These children no nothing of humiliation. I guess that I should go back and sue for every embarrassing moment. Maybe I should sue my mom because I never got that pony. I was devastated for YEARS over that.

We are raising a country full of sissies unable to cope with everyday life and in return they shoot up the schools for it. It IS just hair. It WILL grow back. If it is hindering the student's learning and possibly the learning of the other students, action needs to be taken. If you don't like it, home school. Then you can screw up your kid all by yourself.

The teacher should have consulted the parents if she had a concern. She had no right to touch him, but I seriously doubt that she held him down. The teacher shouldn't get off scott-free but I really hope those greedy bastards don't win. We all know that all of that money will go to buy the parents a new car and a vacation. I doubt any will go towards his college education or the therapy for his "depression" and "emotional disturbance".

I'm sure most parents think like the other poster who thinks this is "free money". Other students will suffer with the lack of funds because of these selfish parents. Then I guess the other parents should sue because of that.

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umm, isn't this assault?
i mean really truly legally assault?

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There is absolutely nothing wrong with sueing the school for this. One of the best things about America is that people have the right to sue eachother. Things would be extremely different if we didn't have this right; people would be breaking a lot of rules and breaching a lot of contracts. In society, everybody and everything has obligations....people have obligations to respect eachothers property, schools have obligations to educate students based on a certain curriculem, companies have obligations to carry out the services that they are getting paid for...the list goes on and on. We can all interact with one another in a civilized way and with piece of mind and without fear that someone or something will screw us because we know that if they do, we wont be helpless and can actually do something about it. I hope they sue and I hope they win their $50,000. I dont think its necessary for the teacher to lose her job though, but its always great to know when somebody learned their lesson after doing something stupid.

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If it were my kid I'd sue, yeah hair will grow back but the emotional damage that teacher inflicted on that child will take years to heal if it ever does. No teacher with that temperament should be teaching and a resignation should be demanded, along with the fact that said teacher shouldn't be allowed to teach anymore.

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It might seem like a lot but when admins and teachers go crazy thinking they have absolute power, a lawsuit is the only way to put them in their place.

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The teacher had absolutely no right to do that. ..it IS legally the
same as if she had hit him..however, in this case it is even worse...
The teacher should lose the teaching licence...shoud be forced to
strip and be whipped mercilessly by the poor victimized boy and then he should shave her stupid retarded brainless head and tattoo "STUPID
BITCH" on her forehead.. Also, the boy should get his 50 000 dollars
from HER pocket..get hair extensions until his own hair grows again
and use the rest of the money to enjoy and recuperate mentally... :)
If something like that happened to my kid, that teacher would regret
the day she left her mother's womb...and I'm not joking... There!

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The teacher had absolutely no right to do that. ..it IS legally the
same as if she had hit him..however, in this case it is even worse...
The teacher should lose the teaching licence...shoud be forced to
strip and be whipped mercilessly by the poor victimized boy and then
he should shave her stupid retarded brainless head and tattoo "STUPID
BITCH" on her forehead.. Also, the boy should get his 50 000 dollars
from HER pocket..get hair extensions until his own hair grows again
and use the rest of the money to enjoy and recuperate mentally... :)
If something like that happened to my kid, that teacher would regret
the day she left her mother's womb...and I'm not joking... There!

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As my name says, I have some inside knowledge of this situation and here are some facts that are not readily known. First, the police were called the day of the haircut, the responding officer did not want to file a report (county employee taking up for another employee?) but his supervisor forced him to make a report. The Roanoke County Commonwealth Attorney's Office was called, whom ever was contacted was reluctant to press charges against the teacher and suggested hiring an attorney. There was a meeting of the family and the principal, the teacher showed no remorse and due to school board rules the principal said it was limited to what he could do, because there was a long-time teacher was involved. The principal was very supportive to the family and said he didn't blame the family if they carried this matter further. Due to the inaction of our elected officials and county employees, the family was basicly forced into their actions. As suggested in the above blogs, the family has tried actions against the teacher, SO far without any sucess. With my inside knowledge, I know, the family ONLY wanted the teacher removed from her position and a public apology issued. Neither has happened. Something for all you Hidden Valley Middle School parents, this is not the first time this teacher has assulted a student. There are rumors that this is not the first haircut issued by this teacher and there is a documented case of this teacher assulting another student in the same manner in which she assulted Alex. There is a picture in the school yearbook (from several years ago) of this teacher with another student pinned against the lockers in an aggressive manner. History says this will happen again, if this teacher is not stopped. Just remember, your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or neighbors could be next.

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