Why having long hair equated with putting him in library was not explained, although a cursory glance through portraits of our Founding Fathers, which are often displayed in school libraries, might not be the best way for the school to make its point.
It would seem the Mesquite school board is caught in some kind of a time warp, as objections to men and boys having long hair was a issue in the 60s, not so much in the new millennium. As a matter of fact, length is not the only aspect of boys’ coiffures that is negotiable. Color, texture, style, thanks to modern science, all these hair characteristics are easily altered. I remember when I was in high school, 74 years ago, many of the boys got perms and sported afros, what was up with that?
But I digress.
I feel long hair on boys is a subject I am compelled to speak about. I have three sons, two of school age, and all of them have long hair. Ironically, my only daughter’s hair is very short, which is somehow indicative of my parenting, I just can’t figure out what it indicates.
I wonder if the school board in Texas would have objected if the child with long hair was a girl. I wonder on what basis they make these decisions. I wonder if they would have objected to highlights or perhaps crimping. I wonder if he would have gotten in trouble if his hair was too short?
But mainly I wonder why hair length is being discussed at all.
It simply isn’t relevant. It was relevant 40 years ago, men were growing their hair as a statement. Their hair was an expression of their resentment at the establishment, which told them women had long hair if they wanted to, but men could only wear their hair short. By refusing to cut their hair, by letting their freak flag fly, those men and boys were saying something, they were rebelling, they were telling the world that they would not simply fall in line because they were expected to, as their fathers had done.
But in 2010, long hair doesn’t really say anything, men wear their hair every way from shiny bald to dreadlocks. Long hair isn’t a statement, it just means the person wearing it hasn’t cut their hair short. Maybe for looks, or maybe because they just didn’t get around to it.
Personally, I think sometimes boys wear it long for the same reason girls do: because members of the opposite sex notice it. Girls like to style and braid and otherwise mess with boys’ hair and boys like to fiddle around with girls’ hair. This is hardly a new concept.
The school board’s dress code prohibits students from grooming themselves in any way that is “designed to attract attention to the individual.” A four-year-old that doesn’t want to attract attention? Have these people never been around children? Their whole existence is an effort to garner attention. “Look at me” is perhaps the most used phrase in the vernacular of anyone under the age of 10.
The code also states students should “dress and groom themselves neatly, and in an acceptable and appropriate manner.” Acceptable to whom and appropriate for what? preschool? What type of ‘do’ does one wear for an extended session of the Hokey Pokey? What style is appropriate for fitting the square block in the square hole and the round block in the round hole.
Maybe that’s the problem, they want to make sure these kids are fitting the blocks where they should go, they are just taking the concept one step further: your hair should fit the predetermined concept of what the school board has decided a boy should look like. That’s scary.
And more than a little strange. Hair is nothing more an accessory, just a personal choice made on the basis of how one thinks they look best.
The hair police would best serve students not by making mountains out of molehills, but looking at the bigger picture.
Being a mother, I know children have plenty of other things you can pick on — the list is endless. Grades, manners, work ethic, how to get along with others in the big bad world, these things are issues. Hairstyle is a non-issue.
Move on, Mesquite school board. “Hair” the musical is over, nobody cares anymore.
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