Itasca, Texas Boy Suspended for Long Hair
We live in a time when "children" are in the news for committing horrible crimes: arson, rape, murder. Now we have to add to the list of horrors: not scheduling an appointment with your hair dresser.
Kenneth Fails, 12, a sxith-grader at Itasca Middle School in Itasca, Texas, received an in-school suspension on the first day of school. His offense? Long hair. He had previously been on in-school suspension for several weeks in fifth grade starting in April for having long locks.
Now here's the thing that might get Kenneth a lawyer and lead to a legal precedent: girls at his school can have long hair.
How long has it been since the "Beatle cut" was shocking, or since Hair was released, or since you first saw a male president of a college or CEO of a big corporation with a ponytail? How long has it been since you first went to a job interview and the interviewer had his hair over his shoulders?
There's no law of nature that says men have short hair. Back in the good old days of America's early history, there wasn't a human-made law that stopped Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin from letting their hair flow. In today's America, there are state and federal laws, though, against discrimination based on gender.
It's time Texas moved forward into the 21st century--or at least back to the 18th.
Screen capture shows Kenneth Fails, age 12, of Itasca Middle School in Texas (screen capture from CBS 11. No threat to its copyright is intended)
The opinions of a single poster do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire Loveshade Family. Even though I bet this one does.
Comments
Texas is 50 years behind the times. Like that's news? But let the boy grow his hair. If it's all right with his parents, the school shouldn't say no.
Posted by: Sam the Mark | August 24, 2010 09:56 PM
"Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy"
Hair
Posted by: Hairy like you | August 26, 2010 12:33 AM
The dude should grow his hair long it looks good. More power to him. I would grow my hair long but I don't have much hair up there anymore. Dude sue them good! Make an example of them. Next time they'll think twice about suspending someone with long hair.
Posted by: Vernon Avaritt | August 26, 2010 01:33 PM
Sam, not all of us in Texas are behind the times. Some of us believe, "an it harms none, do as thou wilt." I hope this is solved so the boy can go back to regular school and so the school doesn't lose money.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | August 28, 2010 05:54 AM
This is just silly. Suspended for not getting a hair cut?
Posted by: Marie Gilbert | September 1, 2010 07:28 AM
Hippie! This rule is so 60s.
You know itasca texas kenneth fails gave 600,000 hits on google and your blog is no. 3 and 4?
Posted by: George Willis | September 4, 2010 06:17 AM
I was sure I posted a comment. The issue here is not sexism, it's the right of a public school to set its own rules. Rules are made to keep order, and with parents encouraging their children to get suspended, that's very difficult.
Posted by: Christian Andy | September 5, 2010 05:34 AM
They just can't bear
to see long hair
whether straight or in curls:
but they like it on girls!
Posted by: MJ Lover | September 5, 2010 10:48 PM
Oh good God. Cut the damn hair! And your link doesn't work.
Posted by: Tom T. Trucker | September 14, 2010 04:26 PM
A lawyer, in keeping with To Black's Law Dictionary, is "a child caught on into The law; a warm or hot environment an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a child licensed how to practice law." Law is the system as to rules of conduct established using the sovereign IRS on a overall society To proper wrongs, keep up The stability as for political and social grip, and also release justice. Working a warm or hot environment a lawyer involves the excellent program on abstract legal theories and experience To fix specific individualized problems, or To advance the interests as to those people who conserve (i.e., hire) lawyers how to undertake legal services.
Posted by: Lawyer Info | October 22, 2010 06:48 AM
Hey, please do tell us when all can see a follow up!
Posted by: Buddy Matherne | November 13, 2010 06:57 AM
Kids have rights too.
Posted by: Betty Friedan | November 14, 2010 06:56 PM
I like the Beatles they're the greatest band ever. They had long hair. Nothing wrong with it.
Posted by: Thelma Malkovich | November 19, 2010 01:46 PM
I would like to start my own blog one day and write about issues like this. I was a teacher's aid and people don't realize how hard the kids have it. I love your blog and how you deal with issues. Keep up the success :P
Posted by: Carole | December 3, 2010 12:58 PM