8-year-old, denied school picture over cool hairstyle, becomes star of own photoshoot

I sat for my yearbook photo wearing an eye patch. I claimed it was because of a recent procedure, but it was really just me being nonconformist. The principal saw the proof and called my mother, who was hearing about the eye patch (and my excuse) for the first time. She immediately caught on to the gag and told him, “Yes, he had an eye sensitivity and if he wants his yearbook photo wearing an eye patch, that’s his decision.” The principal’s response was something like “This photo does not meet our standards and we will not run it.” And so, I’m not in my high school yearbook because, oh no, and eye patch would’ve ruined everything!

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“Ben Kriesch, principal of Paragon Charter Academy”

The question being - what are you a paragon of? I’m thinking assholery.

The Director of Gov Affairs where I work - a white lady looking to retire - had some purple put into her hair last month. But this little girl can’t do the equivelent? This is also why - public funds shouldn’t go to private schools - you want to be an asshole - do it your own dime.

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Nothing, but I think that there might be an issue with her School.

@Kevin_O_Mac Yar, that blows, shipmate!

@jhritz Mullets denied?! What Orwellian nightmare is this?!

@IronEdithKidd Principle, “We sent your daughter home because of her rainbow dyed hair… The spectrum was not in the correct order.”

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The girl in question looks fabulous; shame on the power-tripping principal and admin.

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I want to know why ANY adult gets their undies in a twist over kids’ hairstyles, cuts, dye jobs, etc. Why the fuck do they care? How is it their fucking business? I feel the same way about people’s reactions to baggy pants. Who gives a shit? Are they breaking your leg or picking your pocket? Geez, if I see something fashion-wise that looks ridiculous to me, I mainly feel amused.

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Mine tried that, too.

With food coloring and tempura paint.

Yeah, that was super fun to clean up.

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Interesting. Hairstyles must be conservative, but Princetons (aka, the Matt Damon) are banned :interrobang:

Conservative and extreme might be in the eye of the beholder then. A middle-aged man can shave his head because it’s basically the only socially acceptable hairstyle for balding men, but if a teenager were to try it it would look “extreme”. Likewise that bit about hair color being of natural tones. About 75% of women dye or at least highlight their hair.

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It’s attached to a black child’s head.

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Bummer. No, her’s was done at a salon, paid for by her mom.

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This is a good time to point out that this is one of those specific racisms that is so prevalent it gets embedded in algorithms:

Google image results for “unprofessional hairstyle”

Google image results for “professional hairstyle”

The discernment of the primary difference in the results is left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader.

There is a subreddit which does this analysis specifically for women.

(And yes: there are other 'isms embedded in that example.)

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Not only is there a racial difference, which has been noted, but “professional hairstyle” mainly returns male results.

And all of these male results are the “extreme” variation of the Princeton, alluded to in the code of conduct. Tapered to the skin on the sides, but long on top and pomaded stiff. I guess those of us who aren’t male, don’t have caucasian hair, or even don’t have much hair to speak of are pretty much fucked, because we can’t look “professional” according to Go Ogle.

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I don’t want no pomaed, I want Dapper Dan!

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Sidebar, I’ve seen millennial women doing the one-sided or both sided side buzz recently.

I don’t find it attractive, or sexy or hot or anything. But it is badass. I love it. Awesome trend, needs to continue. \m/

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“If you’d have stuck with just two colors, maize and blue, we would’ve let the matter go.” :joy:

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So much this. I recently bought my first house, so I now have the prerogative to yell get off my lawn, but I would be a shit dad if I started telling my kids how to wear their hair.

Now, go get a haircut you hippy! And get off my lawn!

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Kids are subjected to so much cognitive dissonance that it’s amazing any of them make it.

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Wow. They sold 5 cents of yarn for a buck. Pretty slick.

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My young one (40 y.o.) wears her very blonde hair long on one side and buzzcut on the other. I tease her and tell her it looks European.

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It’s parents, and there are a number of reasons, but it all comes down to one word: Control.

  1. Control: Plain old-fashioned racism, aka keeping The Other in-line.
  2. Control: They want the class photo with their kid in it to look a certain way and not be “ruined” by some other kid who’s style clashes with their preferred aesthetic.
  3. Control: They equate certain styles with desired behaviors and think a kid who looks a certain way is less likely to cause trouble–this applies to their kid and the kids who might influence their kids.
  4. Control: They lack creativity and resent it in others, so rather than confront their own inadequacies, they try to stifle those who have a little flair and appear to be enjoying life.
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Hrmmm…

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