The adorable little boy has never asked to have his hair cut, and his mum Jessica loves it just the way it is: long, wavy brown locks that fall to about mid-chest on him.
That’s why after a week of him attending primary school in Houston, Texas, Jessica was infuriated when she was told Jabez wouldn’t be able to go back to school unless he cut his hair.
The school’s policy says that boy’s hair “will not extend below the eyebrows, below the ear lobes, or below the top of a T-shirt collar.”
Given that he’s only four and his hair would likely get in his way during school and play, Jessica had been tying it up in a bun – but the school’s policy also says that “ponytails or tails are not acceptable on male students.”
Seems like a lot of rules to be enforcing on a four-year-old.Jessica met with the school’s administration to discuss the situation, and she streamed it all on Facebook live.
Here is BHISD school policy and here is young Jabez Oates. Should he cut his hair or is policy, as his mom contends, "sexist and outdated"?
“To me, that is blatant discrimination against something me and my child believe in,” she said. “I just want my child to get an education. It’s something extended to every other child in this community, we live in this community, and we’re a part of this community.”
Jessica also questioned what her son’s hair had to do with his schooling at all.
“… I’m not understanding how long hair would exclude my child from an education in this school district. Was it any harder to teach him because he has long hair?”
Some agree with Jessica that a child’s hair is a non-issue while others think she’s encouraging Jabez to break the rules from a young age.
Jessica had planned a follow-up meeting with the school’s superintendent, but she says that he has cancelled on her and that Jabez is still not allowed to come to school.
Sarah Rohoman,Yahoo Style UK
Comments
Post a Comment