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You know.........even though the school has rules on the length of hair for boys (a rule I disagree with by the way), they should make exceptions for this young man......
A few inches of hair stand between J.T. Gaskins and an education.
The 17-year-old, who had been treated for cancer and said he now wants to grow his hair to give to Locks of Love -- a charity that provides wigs for kids who lose their hair due to chemotherapy and other treatments -- was recently suspended from Madison Academy, a charter school in Burton, Mich., for refusing to trim his tresses.
Gaskins told The Flint Journal that he was diagnosed with leukemia as an infant and has been cancer-free since age 7. This is something I want to do, and I feel very strongly about it.
The schools dress code policy, spelled out in the student-parent handbook, says hair must bair must be kept clean, neat, free of unnatural or distracting colors, off the collar, off the ears and out of the eyes for boys.
Gaskins hair, which resembles the windswept bangs of Justin Bieber, dangles at his eyes and covers his ears.
His mother, Christa Plante, told the Journal she supports her son and remembers his cancer fight as a small child. The fact that hes ready to talk about everything he went through, his strength ... I cant deny him that. Hes ready to speak out about what hes been through, Plante said, according to the newspaper.
U.S. News - School suspends cancer-survivor boy for growing hair for Locks of Love
Me personally? I hope the parents are able to sue the school over this bullshit behavior.
Preparing students for the real world is the business of schools.
We can argue all day long about whether or not they are effective, but that's the goal. I'm not familiar with this academy, but I do know most private schools have strict dress codes - that inc. hair, makeup, and piercings. There's a reason.
You will be assimilated.
I thought so as well, but I guess with the GOP wanting to return to the "good old days of the 50's and 60's", I guess that means hair styles too.
Preparing students for the real world is the business of schools.
We can argue all day long about whether or not they are effective, but that's the goal. I'm not familiar with this academy, but I do know most private schools have strict dress codes - that inc. hair, makeup, and piercings. There's a reason.
You will be assimilated.
I'm not sure what makes you think you have the right to do what ever you want on someone else's property. This is a charter school. He chose to go to it; he wasn't forced so he sure as hell isn't being assimilated. Hyperbole fail on your part. They have a dress code. If he doesn't like it then transfer to the regular public school where he lives, just like in the "real" world if this were an employer. Yeah, in the "real" world, you can have long hair and tattoos and piercings like you said, but good luck finding a professional job showing up that way to the interview because in the "real" world you don't have the right to dictate to your employer how you're going to look when you come to work and what you're going to do all day.
Grow up.
You will be assimilated.
I'm not sure what makes you think you have the right to do what ever you want on someone else's property. This is a charter school. He chose to go to it; he wasn't forced so he sure as hell isn't being assimilated. Hyperbole fail on your part. They have a dress code. If he doesn't like it then transfer to the regular public school where he lives, just like in the "real" world if this were an employer. Yeah, in the "real" world, you can have long hair and tattoos and piercings like you said, but good luck finding a professional job showing up that way to the interview because in the "real" world you don't have the right to dictate to your employer how you're going to look when you come to work and what you're going to do all day.
Grow up.
So a person is a better student or a better employee because his hair is short?
I'm not sure what makes you think you have the right to do what ever you want on someone else's property. This is a charter school. He chose to go to it; he wasn't forced so he sure as hell isn't being assimilated. Hyperbole fail on your part. They have a dress code. If he doesn't like it then transfer to the regular public school where he lives, just like in the "real" world if this were an employer. Yeah, in the "real" world, you can have long hair and tattoos and piercings like you said, but good luck finding a professional job showing up that way to the interview because in the "real" world you don't have the right to dictate to your employer how you're going to look when you come to work and what you're going to do all day.
Grow up.
So a person is a better student or a better employee because his hair is short?
Whether that is true or not is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
So a person is a better student or a better employee because his hair is short?
Whether that is true or not is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
No it's not.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
So a person is a better student or a better employee because his hair is short?
Whether that is true or not is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
No it's not.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
Whether that is true or not is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
No it's not.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
What's zero tolerance about having a dress code at a school?
Whether that is true or not is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
No it's not.
Yes, it is because whether or not he is a better student with long hair or short hair is not the topic of discussion.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
I agree and I don't support zero tolerance policies. I have no issue with this incident, however, because as already stated numerous times, he is not required to attend that school. He chose to attend it knowing what the policies were from the beginning just like everyone else attending it does.
He's not being denied shit. If he wants to grow his hair, he can move to a school that doesn't care if his hair is long.
He would only be "denied" anything if he was forced to attend that school, and that school only.
And you know what? Schools aren't supposed to accomodate all whims, even if the intent is positive. They're a place for students to learn. And as noble as his desire to donate his hair, he won't be saving anyone's life by doing it. Nobody is being HARMED by the school's adherence to a dress/hair code.
In other words, he can either pick a different charity that won't require him to flout the rules of the school, or attend a different school. This is what it's like to GROW UP. You make choices and you deal with the hindrances imposed by law and society.
No it's not.
Yes, it is because whether or not he is a better student with long hair or short hair is not the topic of discussion.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
I agree and I don't support zero tolerance policies. I have no issue with this incident, however, because as already stated numerous times, he is not required to attend that school. He chose to attend it knowing what the policies were from the beginning just like everyone else attending it does.
I'll bet his parents chose the school and he had very little say in the matter.
This kid wants to do something for others, he should be encouraged, not discouraged. The school could have taken this incident and turned it into a lesson for the whole school. They could have just raised money to give to locks of love in this person's name, encouraging him to cut his hair anyway. There are any number of things they could have done so this would end amicably and in favor of locks of love and the boy who tried to grow his hair for them. Of course, had the school simply looked up the program and discovered that the hair wouldn't be used to make wigs for people with cancer, but instead sold to a doll manufacturer, chances are the kid would have gone with a money donation instead anyway.
He's not being denied shit. If he wants to grow his hair, he can move to a school that doesn't care if his hair is long.
He would only be "denied" anything if he was forced to attend that school, and that school only.
And you know what? Schools aren't supposed to accomodate all whims, even if the intent is positive. They're a place for students to learn. And as noble as his desire to donate his hair, he won't be saving anyone's life by doing it. Nobody is being HARMED by the school's adherence to a dress/hair code.
In other words, he can either pick a different charity that won't require him to flout the rules of the school, or attend a different school. This is what it's like to GROW UP. You make choices and you deal with the hindrances imposed by law and society.
No it's not.
Yes, it is because whether or not he is a better student with long hair or short hair is not the topic of discussion.
A zero tolerance society is a mindless society.
I agree and I don't support zero tolerance policies. I have no issue with this incident, however, because as already stated numerous times, he is not required to attend that school. He chose to attend it knowing what the policies were from the beginning just like everyone else attending it does.
I'll bet his parents chose the school and he had very little say in the matter.
This kid wants to do something for others, he should be encouraged, not discouraged. The school could have taken this incident and turned it into a lesson for the whole school. They could have just raised money to give to locks of love in this person's name, encouraging him to cut his hair anyway. There are any number of things they could have done so this would end amicably and in favor of locks of love and the boy who tried to grow his hair for them. Of course, had the school simply looked up the program and discovered that the hair wouldn't be used to make wigs for people with cancer, but instead sold to a doll manufacturer, chances are the kid would have gone with a money donation instead anyway.
He's not being denied shit. If he wants to grow his hair, he can move to a school that doesn't care if his hair is long.
He would only be "denied" anything if he was forced to attend that school, and that school only.
And you know what? Schools aren't supposed to accomodate all whims, even if the intent is positive. They're a place for students to learn. And as noble as his desire to donate his hair, he won't be saving anyone's life by doing it. Nobody is being HARMED by the school's adherence to a dress/hair code.
In other words, he can either pick a different charity that won't require him to flout the rules of the school, or attend a different school. This is what it's like to GROW UP. You make choices and you deal with the hindrances imposed by law and society.
Dress codes and short hair do not improve the quality of education and do not improve the character of students.
They are arbitrary and meaningless meant only to force conformity and limit free thinking.
He's not being denied shit. If he wants to grow his hair, he can move to a school that doesn't care if his hair is long.
He would only be "denied" anything if he was forced to attend that school, and that school only.
And you know what? Schools aren't supposed to accomodate all whims, even if the intent is positive. They're a place for students to learn. And as noble as his desire to donate his hair, he won't be saving anyone's life by doing it. Nobody is being HARMED by the school's adherence to a dress/hair code.
In other words, he can either pick a different charity that won't require him to flout the rules of the school, or attend a different school. This is what it's like to GROW UP. You make choices and you deal with the hindrances imposed by law and society.
Dress codes and short hair do not improve the quality of education and do not improve the character of students.
They are arbitrary and meaningless meant only to force conformity and limit free thinking.
Bullshit. They're meant to limit distractions so children can focus on academics. They also level the playing field as far as economic and social stature go, because they prevent children from displaying their status via clothing and other symbols. AND they cut down significantly on gang recognition.
Also, they reduce cost to parents SIGNIFICANTLY and make getting ready for school much, much less complicated, which reduces stress associated with going to school. Kids who don't have to worry about whether their clothing is up to snuff and who know they look exactly like everyone else, rich, poor, or indifferent, are kids who have one less thing to worry about...which means they're in a better place for learning.
