Middle School Girl Suspended for Pink Hair
7th grader Amelia Robbins got suspended from school for having pink hair. Amelia is no Audrey Kitching superfan -- she dyed her hair pink in honor of her dad, who died of cancer when she was 6 years old.
CNN.com has the whole video of her explaining her side, and the school explaining theirs.
On one hand, I get that there are policies in place and that certain establishments have dress codes. That's why Hollister wouldn't hire me -- streaks in my hair, how unnatural! Anyway, on the other hand, SUSPENDED for pink hair? I mean, really. Homegirl isn't walking around with glitterface and walloping people with a scepter so that they'll pay attention to her. Of all the things that could distract you in a classroom, I don't think pink-tinted hair (she clearly didn't bleach it first) is a front-runner.
Do you think certain dress code policies are outdated? Do you think Amelia should change her hair color and go back to school? Or should she stand her ground and try to get the policy changed? Discuss, my pretties.
CNN.com has the whole video of her explaining her side, and the school explaining theirs.
On one hand, I get that there are policies in place and that certain establishments have dress codes. That's why Hollister wouldn't hire me -- streaks in my hair, how unnatural! Anyway, on the other hand, SUSPENDED for pink hair? I mean, really. Homegirl isn't walking around with glitterface and walloping people with a scepter so that they'll pay attention to her. Of all the things that could distract you in a classroom, I don't think pink-tinted hair (she clearly didn't bleach it first) is a front-runner.
Do you think certain dress code policies are outdated? Do you think Amelia should change her hair color and go back to school? Or should she stand her ground and try to get the policy changed? Discuss, my pretties.
| Posted by breesays on 08/22/2008 1:23 PM | Visits: 1,098 |
But I think hair color is a pretty harmless way of expressing yourself. I think policies should be updated.
Unless they think the teachers will treat them differently? If so, that's kinda ridiculous
That's bullshit though.
If they're not suspending kids with their pants down to their ankles and their boxers showing then they have no right to suspend her. It's not even for a reason like "OOH IM PUNK, LOOK AT ME AND MY PINK HAIR IM GOING TO GO AND DO DRUGS AND HAVE SEX ON THE STREETS" It's because her Dad died of cancer. This reminds me of the book After where the girl was taken away before she wore a red ribbon (her brother had aids.)
exactly. yeesh.... schools should focus on education, not unnatural hair color.
I don't think the school should have suspended her. I don't think it's their right to tell her how she can wear/color her hair.
however, there are a lot worse things this girl could have done besides dye her hair pink. and first of all i was about her age when i decided i wanted pink hair and second of all if her mother approved of it! i had a teacher tell me once that the school is supposed to be like a parent when your parents weren't around. if that's the case then since when does the school get to override what the parent says? i understand if the school notified the mother and told her that having her daughter's hair an unnatural color is against school policy and that actions would be taken if they couldn't come to some sort of agreement. but to automatically suspend her without any notification is wrong. there was a girl at my high school who decided to shave her head one day and was told by administration that if she didn't wear a wig she would be suspended. why didn't they give that girl that option?
bottom line, it's hair. it grows. it belongs to that girl and she has the right to do with it whatever she wants. she had permission from her mother and sure it might have people talking for a day or so but then everyone would get used to it and it would be like nothing happened. and besides, she did it in memoriam. she's too young to get a tattoo, so this is her own personal way of remembering her dad.
i understand (coming from a private school) say the need for uniforms to prevent bullying for things like not having the nicest clothes, but there still needs to be room for self-expression. when you wear a uniform you look for things like hair color and nail polish and make up to express who you are and i think that unnatural hair color should be allowed even in places like private schools. a person's hair shouldn't be considered part of the uniform. it's not all the same color or length and people highlight it and dye it all the time, so really what's the difference if it's pink versus blonde?
HAHAHAHAHAHAH hilarious.
My school is pretty lax about most things (I had blue hair in 8th grade, my brother had purple hair when he was in 8th grade, etc), but we also have people walking around in shorts the size of panties and boobs hanging out of their shirts and boys whose pants are around their kneecaps.
It's a "pick your battles" situation. I don't see haircolor as a huge issue, but apparently the school does. It's distracting for maybe the first day that you do it, then the novelty wears off for your classmates, and no one cares anymore. The school should work to combat all the kids who dress like they're working the streets before they combat a girl with pink hair.
i used to go to this school, a classmate dyed her hair black, and her natural hair was blonde..brownish. Well they wanted her to dye it blonde again, because black wasn't her natural color.
Can you say ridiculous
my school doesnt have rules like that. we can get piercings and dye our hair but we have a strict dress code. and if you dont follow the dress code they make you wear this ugly ass shirt they like never wash, its nasty.