“If this Texas student doesn't cut his dreadlocks, he won't get to walk at graduation.”
- Thread starter BobPSU92
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Then there are 2 different articles on this because the one I read yesterday said that there was an agreement with the school because it was a "cultural" thing.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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I don't think so. This is from a local news station. The dress code used to be that as long as the hair was worn up and off the shoulders, it was okay. Now it's 'even if it's up, if it would be on the shoulders when down, it violates regulation.' So, you're wrong.
MONT BELVIEU, Texas (KPRC/CNN) - A Texas high school student is set to graduate in a few months, but after receiving in-school suspension due to the length of his dreadlocks, he was told to cut his hair, or he won’t be able to walk at the ceremony.
Deandre Arnold, a senior at Barbers Hill High School, says he has embraced his family's Trinidadian culture with his dreadlocks, but the district wants them cut. (Source: KPRC/CNN)
Mother Sandy Arnold says her son Deandre Arnold has always been a good student, but lately, the Barbers Hill High School senior’s hair has been a problem, one that sent him to in-school suspension.
“An A-B student, he has duel credit classes that he’s taking. He’s not a problem,” Sandy Arnold said. “This is a part of who he is, our beliefs.”
Deandre Arnold’s family is from Trinidad, and he says a lot of men in his culture grow their dreadlocks. He has embraced that part of the culture.
Deandre Arnold's family is from Trinidad, and he says a lot of men in his culture grow their dreadlocks. (Source: Family photos/KPRC/CNN)
His mother says the teenager has had dreadlocks for years and always followed the school’s dress code, keeping his hair off his shoulders, above his earlobes and out of his eyes.
But after Christmas break and just three months before graduation, the Arnolds say the district changed its policy.
"They say that even though my hair is up and off of all the regulations that if it was down, it would be out of dress code, not that I’m out of dress code, but if I was to take it down, I would be out of dress code. That doesn’t make any sense,” Deandre Arnold said.
The teenager says he never takes his hair down at school, but he isn’t allowed back until his dreadlocks are cut. If he doesn’t comply, he also won’t be able to walk in his upcoming graduation ceremony.
From the article:
When asked whether black people were consulted about the policy, aside from the former board member, Poole reiterated that the dress code is an expectation of the community. Poole, who has been superintendent since 2006, said this is the first time in his tenure the policy has impacted a black student.
I wonder if there were CNN stories about the other times the policy has impacted a student. I'm going to guess no.
When asked whether black people were consulted about the policy, aside from the former board member, Poole reiterated that the dress code is an expectation of the community. Poole, who has been superintendent since 2006, said this is the first time in his tenure the policy has impacted a black student.
I wonder if there were CNN stories about the other times the policy has impacted a student. I'm going to guess no.
He should just tell the school administrators that he identifies as a female. Then watch 'em squirm.
CNN is chasing the racist angle of long hair (which of course makes no sense), not the antiquated policy itself.
I just want to welcome Dave Petersen to the board.
How’s the weather in Johnstown today Dave?
I've read stories about morons assaulting Amish men and cutting off their beards. Bear in mind there was no physical injuries. The men were held down and their beards were cut. The morons were charged with assault not just for restraining the victims but also for cutting their beards. But what's the harm?? It's just hair, right??
The long hair requirement is to prevent lice and other things that come up in close quarters.
This is just some old dick bag demanding people look how he wants them to look.
It is funny how people think there is a right or wrong regarding hair length. Long hair and beards were the rule, not the exception for many years.
Sometimes it was less fashionable and sometimes it was more. It has absolutely no bearing on the person. Short hair has been fashionable since after WW2 after so many GI's came home.
I personally hate long hair. I think it looks sloppy and I like a nice tight hair cut.
But that is me, others can do what the hell they want.
True. But in that picture of his father you can't get much tighter and nicer looking hair, even if it is down to his waist. And the kids hair looked pretty nice and tight as well.
But then since I shave my head, because if I didn't I'd look like a monk, I'm probably a little jealous.
In that district, going to school naked may be alright as long as the student does some manscaping.
Just curious...would there be this much outrage if it was a white kid sporting dreads? Or would cultural appropriation arguments rule the day? I don’t care how someone wears their hair, I just hope we’re consistent in our thoughts based on principle, not politics.
I'm with you on this and feel that I should be free in this country to express my opinion without being labeled a racist or bigot. One's freedom of appearance is no more valid than another person's freedom to not like it. I don't like long hair on men, especially if the hair is thinning. Period. Has nothing to do with race.
As for dreadlocks, I don't recall seeing many men wearing this style a few decades ago, so the "it's my culture" basis doesn't seem to fit. Most are not immigrants from countries where dreads are a cultural norm. I'd speculate that they may want to go back to identifying with their ancestors -- a way of expressing that they do not feel a fit within current American Society. The most likely motive for the style among most, IMHO, is simply akin to what we observed during the 1960s, a period of rebellion when young people felt no effective means of expression with The Establishment.
I have a buddy of mine who did that. Worked for him (though he's now got it cut short--which might have been a safety issue as he works at a zoo).
I wonder if they have any 60 year old rules that keep white folk on the right side and black folk on the left side. Folks on each side should stick to their assigned water fountains obviously........
The school wouldn’t have made an issue of it if it was a white kid wearing dreads??? Really? You think? I think they would have but we wouldn’t be reading about it.
Why is this an issue just a few months before graduation? It's not like he grew those dreads over night.
Why is this an issue just a few months before graduation? It's not like he grew those dreads over night.
Also, why not just long hair for the white kid? Do you think there has never been a white kid with long hair that graduated from that school?
Also, why not just long hair for the white kid? Do you think there has never been a white kid with long hair that graduated from that school?
We don’t know...I would guess if there had been white kids that graduated with long hair we would have read about it. People can say what they want about our country, but institutional racism is not really tolerated these days.
