Your Hair is a Distraction.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas_topstories_080206_distractinghair.97b00981.html



Got this link from the Why Homeschoool blog (http://www.whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/). I'm almost NEVER one to play the race card, but... the girl in question is black. So far as I know, there are a very limited number of "natural" looking hair colours from which the child would have to choose if she wanted a new look. She chose a reddish hue and got herself kicked out of school for not changing it to a more "traditional" colour.



Now, I understand sometimes the school has to set some limits or there will be at least ONE kid who would show up in a thong and pasties, and wearing some sort of gang insignia bandanna at the same time. I think most of the time it should be up to the parents, though, what the children are wearing. With the exception of woodworking or classes that require special clothing (hair pulled back, no loose clothes, closed-top shoes, etc.), why do they not allow the children to wear whatever they wish? If it isn't bad enough to get them arrested when they walk downtown wearing the "offending" item, why is so much time and effort spent policing the children... or rather... policing the choices the PARENTS have made for their children?? I remember children wearing pro-drug T-shirts and items with beer brands prominently displayed when I went to high school. But I don't recall ever seeing such an item and going, "Oh, kewl, now *I'm* going to have to try a Budweiser!! I'd have never thought of that if I hadn't seen that shirt!"



Just saying. I do try to respect the rules at the schools and instruct my children to do the same. I know a lot of these administrators do genuinely struggle with that balance between free expression and children causing a distraction with their attire. What do you think?