Straight-A Student Pulled From Class Over Hair Color

[HotCorner]

After reading this story, I remembered having a "discussion" with the principal when I was in junior high about the dress code. We were not allowed to wear shorts because "it was too distracting to other students."

I countered that it was too distracting not to wear shorts because we got hot and could not concentrate. The school had no AC. Needless to say he told me too "drop it."

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/new...0/detail.html#

MARSHALL, Mo. -- An eighth-grader was taken out of class Tuesday because of her hair coloring, KMBC-TV in Kansas City reported.

An administrator at Bueker Middle School said the girl's red highlights were distracting to other students.

School officials said there is a rule at Bueker that hairstyles that are distracting to the educational process are not allowed.

"Doing this is taking away from people's individuality," student Kristen McCorkle said.

The 14-year-old, who is a straight-A student, said the school's assistant principal told her she had to go to in-school suspension and that she would be there until her hair is fixed.

"I didn't think that any of this would happen," the eighth-grader said.

She said she understands that some hairstyles can be distracting, but she doesn't think hers is.

"Like colors that are totally out of the norm, blue, or green, or purple. But I think red is more normal and I don't think that many people would disagree with me," she said.

"I don't feel that her hair is out of control," said Tim McCorkle, the girl's father. "It's definitely not outside of the boundaries that we have established here in the home."

The district's superintendent, Dr. Robert Gordon, said he was alerted to the situation Tuesday afternoon.

"This, as I understand it, is a matter of interpretation. I believe the assistant principal was doing what he felt was in the best interest of the kids," Gordon said.

Tim McCorkle, who is the Bates City police chief, said the school's policy needs to be reviewed.

"As one who has written policies, some need to be updated or sometimes they're just wrong," he said.

Gordon said he plans to speak with the student's parents about the situation.

Meanwhile, Kristen said the hair coloring was an accident. She didn't expect the highlights to be so strong and she plans to tone it down as soon as possible.

Schools are getting ridiculous now....

[KronoRed]

Am I missing what the big deal is? her hair looks fine..not like fire engine red

[Yachtzee]

On the one hand, I feel it's rather silly to remove a girl from class because of her hair color. On the other hand, if the girl is really intent on expressing her individuality, she should try doing so with her mind and her talents rather than through some hair styling trick that has been popular since the day someone figured out how to dye hair.

[RedsManRick]

And the whispers in class about her being put in ISS over an auburn steak in her hair are not going to distracting at all..... what a moron.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by Griffey4Prez

Schools are getting ridiculous now....

Public schools, 99 times out of 100, reflect the "values" of the districts they serve. For good or bad.

[TeamBoone]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

On the one hand, I feel it's rather silly to remove a girl from class because of her hair color. On the other hand, if the girl is really intent on expressing her individuality, she should try doing so with her mind and her talents rather than through some hair styling trick that has been popular since the day someone figured out how to dye hair.

Oh Yachtzee... have you been around young people lately? To tell you the truth, a lot of intelligent kids are discriminated against... it happens all the time; they are ridiculed and made fun of.

It's not like this girl dyed her hair purple with streaks of red and blue, nor does she have multiple piercings or tatoos (at least if she does, they don't show in the picture).

Kids want to fit in, be part of the crowd, while retaining their individuality. She's a cute girl with some auburn streaks in her hair. Would they have done this if she had brown hair and streaked it blond?

[Reds4Life]

Her hair doesn't not appear "distracting" to me, the red isn't even that noticable.

[KittyDuran]

Who's being distracted the girls or the boys (or both)? She's cute, maybe the boys find the streaked hair more appealing and were distracted...

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by KittyDuran

Who's being distracted the girls or the boys (or both)? She's cute, maybe the boys find the streaked hair more appealing and were distracted...

Girls don't have to do much to distract guys, especially those of the teenage varity. I think some light hair coloring should be the least of their concerns.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by TeamBoone

Oh Yachtzee... have you been around young people lately? To tell you the truth, a lot of intelligent kids are discriminated against... it happens all the time; they are ridiculed and made fun of.

It's not like this girl dyed her hair purple with streaks of red and blue, nor does she have multiple piercings or tatoos (at least if she does, they don't show in the picture).

Kids want to fit in, be part of the crowd, while retaining their individuality. She's a cute girl with some auburn streaks in her hair. Would they have done this if she had brown hair and streaked it blond?

Kids were the same when I was in high school. If you wanted to be accepted, you had to hide the fact that you were intelligent and could think for yourself. I did it too after a "friend" in the 6th grade told me, after I got an A on an exam, that he would hate to be me because I was "too smart." The next thing you know, you start shooting for A minuses and B pluses just to avoid being "too smart." Then you start making fashion choices you will later regret because you see other kids wearing the same stuff. Yet when your parents object to those choices, you claim that you are just "expressing yourself." Repeat this cycle through grades 6-12 and you have the American Youth Experience.

I really don't have a problem with her hair and I think it's silly that they pulled her from class for it. But I also think she is misguided in believing that putting a red streak in her hair is somehow a mark of individuality. If anything, it's a symbol of the herd mentality of kids in general. But the school's reasoning is just as lame. Since when is a dye job distracting? And from the picture, the red streak is barely noticeable.

[TeamBoone]

Isn't it sad, Yachtzee, that intelligent kids get ostracized? Makes me sick.

I totally agree about her hair... heck, maybe she didn't even do it to be accepted. Maybe she did it just because she thought she was going to like it!

I'm sure that school has a whole lot more serious stuff to be concerned with... but who knows if they are. Some schools tackle the easy stuff "to set an example" and don't deal with the other stuff.

[Caseyfan21]

So does this school make natural red-haired kids dye their hair another color such as brown or blond. This is absolutely ridiculous IMO. To reflect the opinions of others, if this is the most pressing issue at this school, then that's pretty pathetic.

I sat in a college class today where one student had hair dyed purple. It really distracted me so much that I think I will complain.

[Johnny Footstool]

My wife's hair is streaked like that. She works for an ultra-conservative employer with a strict dress code (business suits and ties for the men, conservative business attire for the women), but they allow it.

That girl's hairstyle is pretty much mainstream.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

Public schools, 99 times out of 100, reflect the "values" of the districts they serve. For good or bad.

Yep. There has to be a "balance" somewhere on this issue. And we also have to realize that these are kids (going through adolescence), inwhich some are searching for identity/individuality (and attention).

This girl's example is pretty tame compared to some that I have seen with the body peircings and especially the full blown Goth look.

My oldest boy (a junior) goes to JVS (which supports several neighboring school districts). When I look at the way some of these kids are dressed, I just shake my head that their parents let them out of the house looking like that.

I can remember in my day when schools frowned on Beatle haircuts.