Bryan Ruda, age 6, suspended for mohawk

[ells9824]

I'm sure these teachers have better things to do. I just *know* there are little boys drawing guns somewhere in that school that are going unnoticed, and we will be sorry some day.

His mother Michelle Barile,is fully supportive (as I would be).
"I understand they have a dress code. I understand he has a uniform. But this is total discrimination," she said. "They can't tell me how I can cut his hair."

After being written up a third time for violating the "well groomed" rule,
Parma Community School suspended Bryan. Rather than have him serve the suspension, he will be changing schools.

Bryan Ruda
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b366/ells9824/mohawkx.jpg

[Athena]

While I think it is rather ridiculous, precedent has been set. Schools have been suspending kids based on vague dress-codes for some time, now. The logic behind it is, if the style is considered "distracting", it is a punishable offense.

[VisualKei]

The child looks well groomed to me... American schools focus far to much on appearances these days rather than education, it's quite sad in my opinion.

[ells9824]

The child looks well groomed to me... American schools focus far to much on appearances these days rather than education, it's quite sad in my opinion.

I'm leaning that way on this one, as well. If it was some sort of sexual shirt or he was filthyor had bugs, I'd want the school to step in and say these are some things we need to address and remedy.

This is just hair. If he can't have a mohawk, then I don't think the girls should have any hair accessories, either. And don't tell me whoever has the coolest hair ties or coolest shoes doesn't have people falling all over them. I've seen that first hand. So many parents shaved their sons bald when I was teaching, should we have screamed skinhead and kicked them out?

I just think this one is going too far.

[gprime]

If this were a private school, I would be entirely fine with it. It is their right to set whatever policies work for them. And, not surprisingly, many American private schools have policies as bad or worse. In fact, among Christian institutions, it sometimes extends to the college level (see Bob Jones and PCC).

But, as a charter school, they are publically funded. Therefore, they have no right to do this, or really establish a dress code of any sort.

[Athena]

But, as a charter school, they are publically funded. Therefore, they have no right to do this, or really establish a dress code of any sort.

They shouldn't, but they do, and it's been upheld time and time again.


Do I have the right to free expression while I’m at school?

Yes…sort of. In the Supreme Court’s decision in Tinker v. Des Moines (see
below), the Court determined that student expression should be judged by
whether or not it “materially or substantially interferes” with the educational
process. This means you have the right to free speech at school, but you have to
exercise this right in a manner that does not disrupt the school day.

This general rule applies both to students and to adults. The courts have repeatedly
said that while the government cannot regulate the content of speech, the
government can regulate the time, place, and manner of the speech. This doctrine
is what allows local governments to pass noise ordinances or to place restrictions
on the size of political campaign signs.

Suppose you are upset about a new grading policy the school board has proposed.
You can’t stand on your desk during class and scream about the policy
at the top of your lungs, because that would disturb other students’ ability to
learn.

Source (http://www.aclu-tn.org/pdfs/know_your_rights.pdf)

Public school districts have successfully argued that t-shirt sayings, skirt length and hair-dos "materially or substantially interfere" with the education process. It's a load of crap, and a prime example of the "give them and inch" history we've had with government-run systems.