son told to "get a haircut"?!?

carang

carang

Registered User
ok, my son goes to a local kindergarten that we are VERY happy with. he went for 1/2 day last year and is now going for a full day.

today, he came home and told me that the teacher didn't like his haircut and that "that kind" is not allowed at their school.

i cut my son's hair myself and have done since he was born. for the past 1.5 yrs, he has on occasion asked for and received a "mohawk"... it is in quotation marks because it is not a real mohawk. rather, i use clippers to cut his hair slightly shorter on the sides than down a strip in the middle. we're talking a few mm's here guys, not cm's. for the clippers, i set the sides to "3" and the top strip to "12"...it is done neatly and the longest part is less than 1cm in length. if it was spiky and messy, i'd understand.

as i said, he's had this haircut on and off (mostly on) for at least a year and a half. this is the first we've heard that "they don't allow this haircut."

my gut reaction is, "come on! you've got to be kidding me! he's in KINDERGARTEN! it's not like he's going to be selling drugs on the street corner!"

what do you guys think? is the school out of line? or am i taking it too personally? i knew that local schools are not big into individualism, but i thought this was a little young....
 
That's hilarious! Kindergartens clamping down on haircuts now, huh? Your very graphical description of the cut seems very 'harmless' so I wouldn't bother about it until the teacher writes it in his 'handbook' or rings you about it. Sometimes I wonder why some of these local schools get so particular about the most trivial of matters.
 
here are a couple of photos for you to see for yourself (in case my description isn't clear)
 

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I think his hair is cute and in my primary school in the States there were much more horrible haircuts (for example, the dreadful mullet or the tail thing with short hair for boys! Yuck! Sometimes I see it around HK and cringe too!) But, knowing how local schools are, I can see how they might see this as a haircut for an older boy--it does have that mohawk look to it. I think their reasoning is dumb but I can see how they could see it as inappropriate. What I would do? Ignore it. Sometimes you've gotta go against the trend. If it's really an issue they'll make it an issue with you. In this case, I would go to bat for my son and stand up for his right to be a bit different.
 
i don't think there's anything inappropriate about that hair cut. i don't understand why they think it's ok to say that they don't like it to the CHILD concerned - poor little boy what's he supposed to think? they should have written to you about it.

how does your son feel about his hair, does he want to change the look? if he does, then make the hair even all over, but if he doesn't want to change it, then i would tell the kindergarten that's just how it grows and leave it at that..
 
Ha that's funny. I think it totally inappropriate that they talk to your son about the haircut and not you. If they have a problem with it you're the only one going to fix it.

Nothing wrong with the haircut either. Maybe there is some other issue you aren't aware of and they're using the haircut as the excuse to have a go at your son?
 
unbelievable, the mohawk cut is so cute the way you've done it - the teacher objecting to it is totally ridiculous and inappropriate to say anything in front of your son. it's not as if it has a huge bright pink spiky fin! I LOVE seeing it on little boys (and big ones too!).
 
maybe local kinders don't want other children copying it?

this reminds me of my brother, when he was in grade 1 or 2 the teacher called my mom and asked her to take him for a haircut to cut off his 'tail' (it was a natural one he's had for AGES, back of his head, if you know what i mean). She refused as it was natural and it wasn't even that long.

The next day the teacher took upon herself to cut it off with a pair of scissors. My mom threw a fuss, i still remember it, she went to school and pretty much yelled at everyone and in the end they had to apologise (but then, the hair is gone...)
 
I would counter complain. But do it to her co-worker in front of her.
There are so many amsuing ways to handle this, I`m just giggling in my head thinking of them all.
I would want to know, however, if such a school policy might exist. You never know - HK is not the most laid back place in the world. they might actually have a haircut policy. In some other countries they do, though I think that might start from primary school.
Otherwise, I would either counter complain in a comedic snarky way as I suggested, or if you`re really peeved, then to the principal in a serious way. It was pretty senseless to talk that way in front of your son, who is adorable by the way, and whose haircut doesn`t look left of centre at all. He`s what, FOUR?
 
i would just ignore. Unless it's in a ridiculous 'rules' handbook saying short back n sides etc. for boys - then it's just one person's conservative opinion. Next she'll be commenting on 'those kind of clothes' etc.

i'm sure said with no malicious intent - just superkeen jobsworth type probably.
 
that's a cute haircut, i like it..
but you might wanna talk to the teacher and make sure there is no issue about that.
 
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I think the teacher may be expressing her own point of view. If you had a chat to the principal you may find the school has no issue with your son's haircut at all. If they do, then their method of home/school communication is clumsy and a bit unprofessional.
 
Firstly I dont know what this teacher is talking about when she says his haircut is inappropriate. I think its perfectly sober and he looks so adorable. Most importantly he likes to having his hair cut in this way, like others said unless it something totally bizzare noone should object. Secondly to say such a thing in his presence is insensitive, it might have upset him to hear what she said. You should talk to the teacher directly why she is making such a fuss. Or else talk to the principal.
 
This is the only thing that keeps running through my head when I read this post:

Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job

Y'know, I'm sure that many ladies on here would disagree with this, but I find that acting like the crazy, foreign b*tch serves me well here in HK sometimes. Especially when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing. I honestly, would first talk to the teacher and be very direct about how inappropriate her remarks were. I would warn her that the next step is to talk to the principal about her own horrible haircut. :0) Honestly, I would be upset and anyone who in any way messes with mama bear is gonna get their head chewed off--but that's just me.

[Like the time that an old lady took a swing at my son in his stroller with her cane on the street in HK--I didn't care that she was almost 90-years-old that wench almost got that cane shoved down her throat---or at least that's what I visualized in my mind--she definitely had a very angry crazy, foreign b*tch yelling into her face]
 
well, i went in today and spoke directly with the principal.

I was not a foreign bitch from hell at all, I just spoke very plainly. I stated that i didn't understand why there was a problem. I said:

My son:
1) always looks neat and tidy
2) has his hair cut often so IT always looks neat and tidy
3) doesn't cause problems in the classroom
4) always does his homework

I just didn't understand why there was a problem. She apologised and explained that there is another child that has a "very punky" haircut. (My helper confirms this.) The school decided that it was "too punky" and asked the mother to please get a more appropriate haircut for the child. The teachers then decided that they should also ask my son to cut his hair so that the other mother would see that all of the kids were treated equally.

i said that i could understand it if my son's hair was REALLY punky, died neon green and such but that currently his haircut is fairly harmless. she agreed and said not to worry about it. his hair is fine.

i also asked that the next time there is a problem that they contact the parent directly and not approach the helper with the child as the child might take it badly and be upset.
 
Gald it turned out well for you Cara.
We have a boy in our apartment complex (Age- 4 or 5yrs) who has bangs and locks hangling well below his shoulders. Always seen him like this for the past one and half yrs we have lived here. Was wondering today what his kindergarten teacher might think of his haircut or if anyone has ever complained :)
 
thanks guys, i wasn't sure if i was off in my reaction or not. i appreciate all of the advice and kind words!
 
LOL! i thought i'd better save my "bitchiness" for something really important.... like the idiot who cuts me off in traffic!
 
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