February 27, 2008

Never Mind The Maddox: Cleveland Kindergartner Suspended For Freshening Up His Mohawk

First, they protested the product, so he didn't spike it up. Then they told his mom that mohawks weren't allowed, even though they're not mentioned in the dress code. Now some charter school in Cleveland sent some six-year-old home after he high-and-tightened his apparently "disruptive" haircut over the weekend.

The mom says the cut "is something he really likes," though I'm sure he doesn't like it as much as she does. Maybe if she brings her folder of clippings from People magazine to the appeal hearing, the board will come around. That, or just use the longer guard on the razor and fauxhawk it. He's six, what does he know? Sheesh.

6-year-old barred from school over haircut [cleveland p-d, via obscurestore, thanks dt reader ponch]

6 Comments

I'm going to disagree with you on this one, at least as far as the "though I am sure he doesn't like it as much as she does... He's six, what does he know?" I think if the story were one of a little girl kicked out of kindergarten for wearing her preferred ponytails, you wouldn't be making the same comments.

My kiddo started actively agitating for a counter culture hairstyle (dredlocks) by the time he was three. I capitulated when he was six because, well, I really don't think I need to control his hair style; there are more important things to do as a parent. All these years later, I'll now defend his dreds; he has his style, he always has, and he is entitled to it regardless of other people's tastes.

[a good point; i meant the 'what does he know?' comment just about the maddox/mohawk/fauxhawk distinction, not mohawk/no-hawk. -ed.]

I'm amazed at the behavior of the school. Not for being conformist, because I expect that, but for not knowing how 6-year-olds behave.

If they had just ignored it, the other kids would make remarks for perhaps one day, maybe two, and then moved on to other things. But because of this action, the kids will be disrupted by the mohawk issue for *days*.

Totally agree Cynthia. I find it a bit odd that a mom who sends her kid to a school with a uniform is surprised to discover that they are a bit uptight about appearance, but that being said, how much of a distraction can a hair cut possibly be. It sounds to me like the school is looking for a reason to boot the kid and that the mom is looking for a way to make them look bad while doing it.

[she *has* been warned before, several times -ed.]

Strange. I think ... well how shall I put this... IT IS JUST HAIR! You'd think that since the Beatles "long hair" days people would realize how silly all this is. What makes this even more ridiculous is that he's a kid and kids are supposed to try different looks before someone shuts them into a suit for life

If you don't like the schools rules, then go somewhere else.

The schools near me lets kids wear and do practically whatever they please. More than likely that explains the low-test scores, lack of discipline, local HS drop out rate, and crime.

By all means, they'll take this kid and his mohawk in a heartbeat. Then he'll get his mom's wishes of not wanting to be a "conformist" making her statement to the entire world apparent when her kid ends up smoking crack at 8 and maybe landing in jail as a teen.

But hey, at least he got to show the world he's got style - very important life skills.

"More than likely that explains the low-test scores, lack of discipline, local HS drop out rate, and crime."

Either you're being serious or my irony meter is buggered due to lack of coffee.


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