Is it right for schools to do this?

Question

Do you think its right for an Elementary school to say that you cannot have their haid dyed? I dyed my daughters hair with the wash-out pink hair color and her teacher told her she cannot have her hair dyed. I did call the school and they stated that it is in the school manual, which it is, but who reads that thing anyways? The person in the office told me that another child had permanent hair dye and they were going to have to send her home untill she re colors it. I dont think its right that they can send children home for their hair color. They are there to learn and hair color does not stop them from learning. Is there something we can do to fight this? DO we have a leg to stand on?

Answer 1

1 - Run (and win) for school board so you can affect policy.

2 - Private school or homeschool

Answer 2

I don't know if it is really a distraction or a way of keeping the rules the same for the younger kids as the older kids.

Much of the rules for older kids and their hair/clothes/jewelry are aimed at preventing gangs from identifying themselves in school.

Just a thought.

Answer 3

i think you're probably in a great school district if the administrators have enough time on their hands to be worrying about things like dying hair.

unless it was sparked by a concern about gangs or something, it's a stupid rule.

but do you really want to be making a big deal out of it (for the wash-out hair dye that's easy to get rid of)? i would want to teach my child that some things in life are certainly worth challenging authority for ... but that hair dye really isn't one of them.  there's a point to teaching kids to choose their battles wisely.

Answer 4

Well, i think it depends. I think if you or she wants to die it a normal color that isn't like pink, blue, etc then they should be able to so much as it doesn't cause an undue distraction really.

I find that is what some schools usually say. but if it's already in their student handbook then those are usually policies already in force.

It seems somewhat strict to me. I would allow normal colors for hair die in children if i were a teacher or principal but pink or blue or something like that seems a bit extreme for a grade schooler in elementary school.

don't you think they may be a bit young for hair die yet?

it seems a bit permissive and may give the child the wrong message you might be sending then in the future they might take advantage of that as time goes along.

Answer 5

If it was stated in their manual, I'm afraid you haven't got much push. I'd get all the pink out before the next school day.

I don't think I'd fight the school on this issue, mainly because it's more typically seen in middle and high schools. Administrators will always assume that a child can't make these decisions on their own, and therefore it is the parents' tastes being put into their kids.

That said, I agree with you that the color of one's hair shouldn't affect their learning. Neither should their clothes, nor the piercings they have. It's just tough to battle the school on an issue like this without making a child become your stage for protest, if you know what I mean.

Answer 6

Not right for them to say what color your hair can be.I think they do it cause of past bad experiences with kids and weird hair color.Part of dress code thing.

You could campaign to change the rules.See how many othe parents agree with you at the next PTA meeting.

Answer 7

No the school is right. It is easy to just say "oh work around the distraction" but to young elementary school age children they don't have the self-control to just work around it. If you are going to send your child to that school then you need to respect that school's policies. Why does a young child need to have pink hair anyways? If she really wants to do something like that then save it for the weekend or the summertime.

Answer 8

I understand what you are saying but it is in the manual and just like the dress code it is there for a reason and if they let kids forget one part of it then they cant uphold the rest of it either.  At our schools my kids can only wear plain shirts, nothing with a saying, design etc on the front of it, all shirts must cover the belly and have sleeves at least 2 inches long.  They can wear capris when it is warm and shorts that at least come to the knee but gain no sleeveless shirts.  Shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Boys hair has to be kept off the collar and no hair colors are allowed except the natural ones, no mohawks or shaved heads as well.  I think it is a bit extreme but for whatever reason the school board decided this was theri dress code and it is followed to the letter.  My suggestion is to do like we did and get a petition going with all the parents to have the dress code examined and reviewed with the parents having a say in the matter.  AND NOT ALL TOW HEADS ARE DYED.  MY DAUGHTER HAS WHITE BLOND HAIR AND IT IS NATURAL THANK YOU.

Answer 9

I think it's dumb to color an elementary school kids hair in the first place.

Answer 10

If it's in the School Manual, you have no choice but to abide by it.  Not to say you can't work on changing this rule, but if it's in there now, you need to obey it, and then fight for a rule change if you feel strongly about it.  

When you enroll your child in any school, you agree to abide by their rules.  And if you think the rules aren't right, then fight to change them or send your child to a different school.

Answer 11

You aren't giving your daughter the best message...she needs to learn that sometimes you just HAVE to follow the rules, that is the way the world works.  If she wants to have her hair dyed, she can do it in the summer.

Answer 12

Nope. It's in the manual.  Argue with the school board if you think it is a problem or take matters into your own hands and homeschool.  Hair color interferes with the learning of OTHERS.  Your daughter's hair color is a total distraction.  It is stupid that they have to put stuff like that in the school manual, but clearly, there are parents who just don't think things through.

Answer 13

Honestly what you think doesn't matter if it's in the manual it's the rule and people really should read them.

There are going to be a lot of rules and laws that people don't agree with but that doesn't mean you don't have to follow them. They have them for their own reasons just as my kids don't always understand why I have my rules, they still need to follow them.

It's ok to question the rule but untill and unless it changes, you still have to follow it.

Answer 14

..u probably cant fight it because they stated somthing in the manual about it.so u were prewarned.and ur right no one read those and i'm in hight school and let me tell u they really crack down bc of the learing of other and there ability to concentrate on the work.sorry about her getting sent home but yea u could always home school.And trust me it get easier as the grade level goes up.public high school could care less..good luck with ur problem

Answer 15

No because hair color can be distracting.

Answer 16

Who in their right mind dyes a child's hair?

Answer 17

YES.

P.S. I heard that hair dyeing could make your hair white when it washes off. ITS TRUE.

Answer 18

Sorry...it's a distraction to others to send your child to school with pink hair and just because YOU did not read the manual does not mean it's OK to do.

Pink streaks is not appropriate for a child in grade school.  There is no difference between pink hair and letting her wear mascara and lipstick.

Answer 19

You can fight any rule the scool has.  Im sure that the dyed hair refers to colors that might be considered distracting to other students like pink or purple.  If its a private school, dont expect to get anywhere.  If its public, get a few parents who agree with you and talk to the prinicpal.  you may have to present your case at a school board hearing.  Im kinda leaning with school on this one.  My daughters school allows streaks but not a complete head of crazy colored hair.  I think for the younger kids who easily distracted its probably a good idea to have that rule... but if you dont agree, i say argue your case!!  

NOTE to people saying rules are rules:  I always tell my daughter: If you dont agree with something, ask questions - if you think the rule should be changed then do something about it.  Where would we be if no one ever questioned the rules?

Answer 20

Schools can set dress codes and if its in the manual then you have to abide. Its there because certain flamboyant dress habits distract other children (so they say). I  personally think its ridiculous and they have more important things they should be concentrating on.

Answer 21

Yes, it is right for them to do that. If you don't have the discretion not to allow that, they should. It IS distracting to all the other students. If it was a more natural color (blond, brown, black) they probably wouldn't object.

Answer 22

When I was in high school (just a few years ago), we weren't allowed to dye our hair to a certain extent. Of course the "normal" colors of blonde, brown, etc were allowed, but other colors, such as pink, blue, etc were against the dress code.

There's a lot of other things to be concerned with when it comes to your kids school. Teachers aren't teaching, kids are hurting each other mentally and physically. So I would just learn to pick my battles.

Answer 23

It is odd how different schools word the same thing. My daughter's middle school manual reads something like 'dyed unnatural colors' So that leads me to believe my child could dye her brown hair black if it looked real.  I am not sure there is a policy in my elementary manual, but I can not recall seeing a child with obviously dyed hair at any school function.

Do I think it is right for a school to have to put this in a manual, no. Parents allowing such things has caused schools to add such things to the rule book.

Answer 24

OKAY...I am a very VERY responsible parent ....but i BEG TO DIFFER with you and HERE is why

Do you wanna tell me that all these lil TOWHEADS with WHITE BLONDE hair........their hair is NOT DYED!????

Okay......dont matter...DYE IS DYE. and even though i agree to disagree and i think its lame to dye a childs hair.....this WOMAN DOES HAVE A POINT!!!   These schools are really RULING our lives these days and if she cant dye her kids hair pink, then the kids with BLECHED HAIR should be sent home too!!!!

Answer 25

"who reads that thing anyways?" How about responsible parents who don't want their kid to get in trouble for breaking the rules?

NO you don't have a leg to stand on it was already CLEARLY stated in the rules. Tell your daughter that you made a mistake and didn't realize it was against the school rules, you don't want to teach her that it's okay to break rules and then get angry and fight about the consequences.