Girl, 13, barred from classes for having pink hair (From Thisisdorset)

BENNY7 wrote:
Schools do not teach you how to learn they only teach the past facts... Teachers get paid to teach pupils how to pass tests... to be honest your daughter is best off in isolation. The comments on here are from the 95% brigade who's egos don't allow anything different into their lives.

Steve Jobs
Duncan Bannatyne
Benjamin Franklin
Richard Branson
Jay-Z
Michelle Mone
Aretha Franklin

Be creative & do not listen to others opinions just watch what successful people do & incorporate that into your own style...

The journey is the reward.

Good luck & Well done!

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

Hickery wrote:
Another example of school playing role of parent, while parent sides with child. Ms Halford - I hope you've seen from all of these comments that society agrees with the school's stance at that, on this occasion, you've got it wrong. Stop being your daughter's 'friend' and start being a responsible parent. Send her back to school to continue the necessary learning that they are providing. And hopefully you've both learned something from this!?

Ayles 10 wrote:

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

“She’s lucky this isn’t a particularly important year, otherwise implementing this kind of punishment for something so menial would have far greater consequences."

Nuff said...

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote: "they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality" Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules. It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness. I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers. I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

Dilligaf08 wrote:
How pathetic!

What happens when this girl leaves school and gets a job, dyes her hair an inappropriate colour and gets the sack?? Will she go running to mummy who in turn goes running to the local paper?? Of course not because the RULES will have stated that what she did wasn't in keeping with the company! It's no different to school is it??

Cut your hair and get back to school where you've got it easy!!

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

nicolecashell29 wrote:
The thing I find funny is when i went to this school i had red hair, purple hair, orange hair and once green, yet did i get put in 'isolation' - like a disease? No. Do the girls with blonde highlights get put it isolation then Ringwood School? what about the boys with coloured tips? By having pink hair is it going to impact classmates knowledge and learning? I think this is ridiculous, you spend 5 years at that school with them telling you to be individual, don't give in to peer pressure. who wants brunette hair? blonde hair. As a TEENAGER they go through stages of wanting vans shoes, beaded bracelets, faces caked in foundation and coloured hair, so are you going to pick a child out for every phase that makes them different? Because i'm pretty sure you don't have enough isolation rooms to do that? I think Ringwood school have escalated this. And as for Chris Edwards thanking parents who have 'kept to the rules of uniform' how patronizing do you get? If this pupil is the only one in the school with colour in her hair thats ever been put in isolation, I will eat my own hand. Carry on with what you're doing Leah - promoting individuality!

nicolecashell29 wrote:
The thing I find funny is when i went to this school i had red hair, purple hair, orange hair and once green, yet did i get put in 'isolation' - like a disease? No. Do the girls with blonde highlights get put it isolation then Ringwood School? what about the boys with coloured tips? By having pink hair is it going to impact classmates knowledge and learning? I think this is ridiculous, you spend 5 years at that school with them telling you to be individual, don't give in to peer pressure. who wants brunette hair? blonde hair. As a TEENAGER they go through stages of wanting vans shoes, beaded bracelets, faces caked in foundation and coloured hair, so are you going to pick a child out for every phase that makes them different? Because i'm pretty sure you don't have enough isolation rooms to do that? I think Ringwood school have escalated this. And as for Chris Edwards thanking parents who have 'kept to the rules of uniform' how patronizing do you get? If this pupil is the only one in the school with colour in her hair thats ever been put in isolation, I will eat my own hand. Carry on with what you're doing Leah - promoting individuality!

leah6153 wrote:
Hi everyone, Thankyou for your lovely comments!! Just to clear up a few things here...The 'school rules' which are no where to be found on the schools website but there is a small paragraph in the back of my daughters homework diary that states 'no coloured hair' I read this today..My daughter does not have her roots dyed dark!! She has bleached blonde hair and has done for the past year, but NO isolation from that. I like to lead a quiet life, the reason i 'ran' to the newspaper is because the schools are a law unto themselves..The local authorities cant do anything as the school can basically exclude anyone they choose to. My anger from all of this is the way the teachers handled the situation and were not even willing to discuss 'the rules' with me. None of you actually know me and i apologise to people who are offended because i dye my hair!! I have a grown up daughter of 20 whom is currently training to be an accountant...I raised her to also have individuality..She is not a brat!! The picture was posed as requested by the Echo themselves, anyone that understands the media would know this! Many of you seem to jump on the bandwagon and follow the crowd..good luck with your journey on that! I think i have covered most comments. My daughter is a top student and well behaved polite young girl...People should learn not to just a book by its cover. I have never broken the law myself nor been in trouble with the law, Most girls at this school go to school with skirts hitched up around their wastes and full makeup on, yet the teachers say NOTHING. The kids their are allowed to spend all day on their phones, fb etc as the school ruled that its their human rights to do so..I myself am confused at them singling out my daughter..whom in their own words last month they said and i quote.. 'shes a superstar' thankyou for reading

speedy231278 wrote:
Some people fail to understand the concept of school rules. They aren't there to decide how society runs. They are there to decide how the school runs. The school isn't saying it is wrong to have your own identity. The school is simply saying that while at school, the pupils should dress in a certain manner so they do not attract attention to themselves nor distract other pupils, risk being bullied for being 'different'.

This girl and her peroxide mother may dress exactly how they please while in their own company and that of anyone else, save when the child is at school, when there's this little thing called uniform, which has been around many hundreds of years.

Any why exactly does a 13 year old girl need pink hair? Clearly, the mother is an attention seeker,and sadly the local press love attention seekers.

Now, the story about the lad who shaved his head for charity with the blessing of his school who then banned him for it being too short, that's a little different....!

leah6153 wrote:
Hi everyone, Thankyou for your lovely comments!! Just to clear up a few things here...The 'school rules' which are no where to be found on the schools website but there is a small paragraph in the back of my daughters homework diary that states 'no coloured hair' I read this today..My daughter does not have her roots dyed dark!! She has bleached blonde hair and has done for the past year, but NO isolation from that. I like to lead a quiet life, the reason i 'ran' to the newspaper is because the schools are a law unto themselves..The local authorities cant do anything as the school can basically exclude anyone they choose to. My anger from all of this is the way the teachers handled the situation and were not even willing to discuss 'the rules' with me. None of you actually know me and i apologise to people who are offended because i dye my hair!! I have a grown up daughter of 20 whom is currently training to be an accountant...I raised her to also have individuality..She is not a brat!! The picture was posed as requested by the Echo themselves, anyone that understands the media would know this! Many of you seem to jump on the bandwagon and follow the crowd..good luck with your journey on that! I think i have covered most comments. My daughter is a top student and well behaved polite young girl...People should learn not to just a book by its cover. I have never broken the law myself nor been in trouble with the law, Most girls at this school go to school with skirts hitched up around their wastes and full makeup on, yet the teachers say NOTHING. The kids their are allowed to spend all day on their phones, fb etc as the school ruled that its their human rights to do so..I myself am confused at them singling out my daughter..whom in their own words last month they said and i quote.. 'shes a superstar' thankyou for reading

stevobath wrote:

leah6153 wrote:
Hi everyone, Thankyou for your lovely comments!! Just to clear up a few things here...The 'school rules' which are no where to be found on the schools website but there is a small paragraph in the back of my daughters homework diary that states 'no coloured hair' I read this today..My daughter does not have her roots dyed dark!! She has bleached blonde hair and has done for the past year, but NO isolation from that. I like to lead a quiet life, the reason i 'ran' to the newspaper is because the schools are a law unto themselves..The local authorities cant do anything as the school can basically exclude anyone they choose to. My anger from all of this is the way the teachers handled the situation and were not even willing to discuss 'the rules' with me. None of you actually know me and i apologise to people who are offended because i dye my hair!! I have a grown up daughter of 20 whom is currently training to be an accountant...I raised her to also have individuality..She is not a brat!! The picture was posed as requested by the Echo themselves, anyone that understands the media would know this! Many of you seem to jump on the bandwagon and follow the crowd..good luck with your journey on that! I think i have covered most comments. My daughter is a top student and well behaved polite young girl...People should learn not to just a book by its cover. I have never broken the law myself nor been in trouble with the law, Most girls at this school go to school with skirts hitched up around their wastes and full makeup on, yet the teachers say NOTHING. The kids their are allowed to spend all day on their phones, fb etc as the school ruled that its their human rights to do so..I myself am confused at them singling out my daughter..whom in their own words last month they said and i quote.. 'shes a superstar' thankyou for reading

I'm one of the few who see no problem with your daughter expressing her individuality.

Attacking people personally is typical of most regular commentators on here.

Personally isolating your' daughter is a total overreaction.I'd love to know if all the teachers are subject to this same rule? How many have their hair coloured etc?Surely its someones human right to colour their hair?

leah6153 wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
Some people fail to understand the concept of school rules. They aren't there to decide how society runs. They are there to decide how the school runs. The school isn't saying it is wrong to have your own identity. The school is simply saying that while at school, the pupils should dress in a certain manner so they do not attract attention to themselves nor distract other pupils, risk being bullied for being 'different'.

This girl and her peroxide mother may dress exactly how they please while in their own company and that of anyone else, save when the child is at school, when there's this little thing called uniform, which has been around many hundreds of years.

Any why exactly does a 13 year old girl need pink hair? Clearly, the mother is an attention seeker,and sadly the local press love attention seekers.

Now, the story about the lad who shaved his head for charity with the blessing of his school who then banned him for it being too short, that's a little different....!

Well speedy..This school did exactly the same to a girl that shaved her hair for raising money for cancer research....I apologise if my 'peroxide' hair offends you!! Over half the population have peroxide in their hair!! You must be one pretty offended individual :) Im glad my story has given you something to do for the day!

speedy231278 wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
Some people fail to understand the concept of school rules. They aren't there to decide how society runs. They are there to decide how the school runs. The school isn't saying it is wrong to have your own identity. The school is simply saying that while at school, the pupils should dress in a certain manner so they do not attract attention to themselves nor distract other pupils, risk being bullied for being 'different'.

This girl and her peroxide mother may dress exactly how they please while in their own company and that of anyone else, save when the child is at school, when there's this little thing called uniform, which has been around many hundreds of years.

Any why exactly does a 13 year old girl need pink hair? Clearly, the mother is an attention seeker,and sadly the local press love attention seekers.

Now, the story about the lad who shaved his head for charity with the blessing of his school who then banned him for it being too short, that's a little different....!

Well speedy..This school did exactly the same to a girl that shaved her hair for raising money for cancer research....I apologise if my 'peroxide' hair offends you!! Over half the population have peroxide in their hair!! You must be one pretty offended individual :) Im glad my story has given you something to do for the day!

Peroxide in hair does not offend me. I fail to understand how you think people are offended by it. The school is not offended by it. The teachers are not offended by it. In fact, I doubt anyone here is offended by it.

What has offended the school is the fact that you have chosen to ignore a very simple and basic rule that your daughter should not have dyed pink hair, because you seem to think that a simple rule on appearance does not apply to your daughter on grounds that it prevents freedom of expression. I cannot imagine that school rules aren't freely available to all prospective parents, and wonder what other school rules and civil laws you choose to ignore on the grounds that they don't suit you? Your daughter has the summer holidays, and many years of her life ahead of her outside of school where she can express her individuality to her heart's content. She could dye the whole lot pink, blue, green or any other colour for all anyone would care. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be different, but there is a time and place for everything, and school isn't one of them!

mysticalshoelace wrote:
Ridiculous if you ask me, schools should stop treating children like sheep, let them have some individuality, let them be kids and start teaching them useful stuff that they might actually need in later life.

The Liberal wrote:
If mobile phone use in class is prevalent, as alleged, you'd think the school would be more concerned about that than the colour of a pupil's hair.

Bob49 wrote:
"The picture was posed as requested by the Echo themselves"


which, strangely, you were happy to comply with

no demands for you to be allowed to 'express your individuality' in that case

as you appear quite happy to conform to requirements when it suits

yes Leah, when it suits

WOC wrote:
I was excluded from school 20+ years ago for having green hair and wasn't allowed to return until it was back to it's normal colour. Thankfully I went back to school and learnt the difference between there, their and they're.

WOC wrote:
I was excluded from school 20+ years ago for having green hair and wasn't allowed to return until it was back to it's normal colour. Thankfully I went back to school and learnt the difference between there, their and they're.

Letcommonsenseprevai
l wrote:
I can sense almost immediately from the non-conformist spelling of the Christian names, that what we basically have here is a family that thinks all the usual rules don't apply to them, because they are special. This pair of attention seekers need to be reminded that children need to be governed at school and taught to comply with rules (even if they might SEEM non-sensical) so that when they GROW UP, they are used to complying with the social structure that the rest of us live within.........

Vicvic wrote:
Leah dont take this the wrong way but did you not think that people would be unkind and take the mickey when you asked the local paper to report a story about your daughters hair. Its not exactly newsworthy is it? I'm not going to be rude about it but I do think ( as do most people it would seem ) That the school has made the right judgement in this matter.

mysticalshoelace wrote:

WOC wrote:
I was excluded from school 20+ years ago for having green hair and wasn't allowed to return until it was back to it's normal colour. Thankfully I went back to school and learnt the difference between there, their and they're.

But not the difference between its and it's ...lol

Vicvic wrote:
I take your point Leah and i hope you dont think I am being rude as that was not my intention and I certainly wasnt vulgar. Just an honest opinion, which people are going to offer if you put yourself in the news, it is human nature. I think you saying that NO ONE in society stands up for what they believe in is puerile nonsense though. I must go now though as I have to prepare classes for tomorrow and mark the homework of the pupils I both teach and care about.

Vicvic wrote:
I think you are confusing me with someone else has written as I did not write your daughter was cheap or that you were a hippy. Not my style.

leah6153 wrote:
Hi everyone, Thankyou for your lovely comments!! Just to clear up a few things here...The 'school rules' which are no where to be found on the schools website but there is a small paragraph in the back of my daughters homework diary that states 'no coloured hair' I read this today..My daughter does not have her roots dyed dark!! She has bleached blonde hair and has done for the past year, but NO isolation from that. I like to lead a quiet life, the reason i 'ran' to the newspaper is because the schools are a law unto themselves..The local authorities cant do anything as the school can basically exclude anyone they choose to. My anger from all of this is the way the teachers handled the situation and were not even willing to discuss 'the rules' with me. None of you actually know me and i apologise to people who are offended because i dye my hair!! I have a grown up daughter of 20 whom is currently training to be an accountant...I raised her to also have individuality..She is not a brat!! The picture was posed as requested by the Echo themselves, anyone that understands the media would know this! Many of you seem to jump on the bandwagon and follow the crowd..good luck with your journey on that! I think i have covered most comments. My daughter is a top student and well behaved polite young girl...People should learn not to just a book by its cover. I have never broken the law myself nor been in trouble with the law, Most girls at this school go to school with skirts hitched up around their wastes and full makeup on, yet the teachers say NOTHING. The kids their are allowed to spend all day on their phones, fb etc as the school ruled that its their human rights to do so..I myself am confused at them singling out my daughter..whom in their own words last month they said and i quote.. 'shes a superstar' thankyou for reading

Carolyn43 wrote:
Mum admits her daughter has bleached blonde hair, and in the photo her roots are dark. So do her roots and bleach out the pink ends at the same time - problem solved immediately.
.......
As for standing up for things that an individual believe are wrong, some think that speed limits are wrong; so let's all break speed limits. Some think that being arrested for peddling drugs is wrong; so let's all peddle drugs. In fact let's all break the laws and rules we don't like. Rules are there to make all our lives as pleasant as possible, and you can't pick and choose which ones you will obey unless
you are totally selfish and anti-social.

LordLilliput wrote:
Leah, you sound like a very principled person although personally, I think you are completely wrong on choosing to remove your child from school rather than do what the school has asked of you so that she can continue her education. Especially as it is something as trivial as a haircut.

Where I think you have got this very wrong is in using a minor ie your child as a channel for your principals. In life some things do not work out as we would personally like but to put your 13 year old daughter into a newspaper for what you consider to be an injustice based upon A HAIRCUT is I feel, an ill judged decision.

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

Can you not see the irony of your last sentence!?

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

Can you not see the irony of your last sentence!?

leah6153 wrote:

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

Can you not see the irony of your last sentence!?

Im tired, its been a long day!! Being attacked from all angles is exhausting!! Its 4 yrs since my mother passed today..this is all bad timing so im logging out to spend time with my family :)

mysticalshoelace wrote:
Judging by most of the comments on here the majority of Echo readers still reside in the Dark Ages!

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

Can you not see the irony of your last sentence!?

Im tired, its been a long day!! Being attacked from all angles is exhausting!! Its 4 yrs since my mother passed today..this is all bad timing so im logging out to spend time with my family :)

I certainly wasn't and haven't attacked you. All I'm saying is that you've made a standpoint about, as you rightly say, an inch of pink hair - it really isnt worth it.

Rules are rules and some are unfair but without them there would be a thousand more injustices.

You are right spend time with your family don't spend it fighting all this, it's not worth it.

leah6153 wrote:

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

LordLilliput wrote:

leah6153 wrote:

Dixi wrote:
Well said Carolyn. If Leah feels that it's unreasonable that her daughter gets 'singled out' for punishment when so many others are not adhering to the rules, why does she feel it's acceptable to let her own daughter go to school like that? Why isn't she giving her daughter some intelligent, parental advice that it is NOT acceptable to break rules in society, let alone school. She is not preparing her daughter for the outside world.

It would be more helpful to her daughter if she explained that when she goes for her first job interviews, first impressions will count. Any rebellious attitude in behaviour or the way she presents herself, will not fill any future employer with confidence.

As a mother, I brought up my daughter to accept and respect authority and that there are times when one has to conform to rules.

There are always other times when one can express individuality far more effectively and imaginatively on a communicative level, for instance.

But to think one is being 'individualistic' by wearing outfits or a hairstyle that are not school uniform, is just not acceptable.

School is not the place for demonstrating fashions or trends in dress and a girl of 13 should be concentrating on the importance of her education, not on her hairstyle - and her mother has failed in her duty as a parent by not impressing that fact on her.

I appreciate your comment but i am also the mother to a 20yr old whom i raised in the exact same way as my 13yr old.. She has upmost respect for her peers and obides by the rules and is currently training in an accountacy firm to become an accountant.. Please lets not lose sight of the issue here..an inch of pink hair dye!!

Can you not see the irony of your last sentence!?

Im tired, its been a long day!! Being attacked from all angles is exhausting!! Its 4 yrs since my mother passed today..this is all bad timing so im logging out to spend time with my family :)

I certainly wasn't and haven't attacked you. All I'm saying is that you've made a standpoint about, as you rightly say, an inch of pink hair - it really isnt worth it.

Rules are rules and some are unfair but without them there would be a thousand more injustices.

You are right spend time with your family don't spend it fighting all this, it's not worth it.

I agree with you and wrote earlier on here that my daughters hair has been bleached back to 'normal'! School for her tomorrow but im writing to the board of governers to make the school rules are available for all to see and to make them clear so that there are no future misunderstandings! If i can do this from the article then i have acheived something. I am going now! Thankyou, Its nice to hear from someone with intelligence and an open mind.

Dixi wrote:

Vikki27 wrote:
I'm stunned at the amount of vitriol everyone is spitting in this mum's direction!

First of all, I'm pretty sure nobody here is a perfect parent, so I'm curious where the authority on what is right and wrong comes from. There's no right or wrong for anyone outside this situation - only opinion, so let's just get that straight right now.

Secondly, yes, there is a uniform and yes, there are rules. But I also think a certain degree of reason and flexibility HAS to be applied because you're dealing with people, not robots. And I agree with Leah completely on the point that you can't allow girls to go to school with their skirts rolled right up and faces plastered in make up but then exclude a girl who has the very tips of her hair dyed but is otherwise a model student. Put a mark against her name or something but excluding her is taking this to the extreme and I've no doubt that the school is going to this extreme to 'make an example' of her.

I went to a school where uniformity was also paramount, but we were still not penalised for dying our hair because insisting on uniformity in a way that affects you outside of school is taking it too far. From experience, teenage girls NEED the outlet to express their personality and who are we, as adults, to define for them how they should do it, beyond whether it's likely to cause mental or physical harm? Teaching teenage girls they have to look the same as everyone else will harm their sense of self in the long run and teaching them that being an individual creates social exclusion? A very poor lesson for a school to teach.

I realise I'm barking up the wrong tree as it were, but the ability to comment on stories like this appears to make the public feel they have free license to spout opinion as though it were fact, and in an aggressive manner as well. Many of you have lost the ability to view a story objectively and consider it before reacting with an emotional outburst. From the comments I could stand to read, some of the authors need a lesson in glass houses.

full of contradictions!

Rustyfootballer wrote:
i thought parents signed a home school contract these days so my guess is the mum signed a binding agreement.
i think the mother is emotionally immature.

JassyK wrote:
This makes me laugh, how many parents on here posting saying the schools is right but send their daughters to school wearing almost nothing and plastered with make up. Hypocrites....

Dixi wrote:

JassyK wrote:
This makes me laugh, how many parents on here posting saying the schools is right but send their daughters to school wearing almost nothing and plastered with make up. Hypocrites....

Pointless comment, JassyK - and just an assumption on your part. obviously you haven't read the most of the comments on the subject.

Thankfully, it's the parents on here who DO agree with the school rules who thankfully happen to be the majority who have taken the trouble to write.

Louise-Bournemouth wrote:
Bit of perspective here: * 25-150 species become extinct every day * An estimated 5,500 children die in Eastern and Southern Africa every day * 97.7 million children of primary school age in Africa cannot get access to schooling And everyone is kicking off about a 13yr old dying the tips of her hair and breaking the school rules. Yes individuality is good and yes school rules are there for a reason...but come on! This is not a story! And Leah, be greatful that your daughter is alive, healthy and able to have an education. I wish mine was. Nothing else should be more important than that.

JassyK wrote:
Also forgot to mention, is it school rules for teachers to swear more than the kids? And that's not an English lesson, it's science...lol

Dixi wrote:

Louise-Bournemouth wrote:
Bit of perspective here: * 25-150 species become extinct every day * An estimated 5,500 children die in Eastern and Southern Africa every day * 97.7 million children of primary school age in Africa cannot get access to schooling And everyone is kicking off about a 13yr old dying the tips of her hair and breaking the school rules. Yes individuality is good and yes school rules are there for a reason...but come on! This is not a story! And Leah, be greatful that your daughter is alive, healthy and able to have an education. I wish mine was. Nothing else should be more important than that.

Louise - Everyone is aware of the sufferings going on in the world, most of us feeling utterly helpless to being able to put it all right....

However, the article above, is about things we can possibly influence and you know as well as I, the story and ensuing debate is not about the pink hair, but about attitudes and what is going wrong in society ie. a decline in standards and the general lack of respect for authority.

jeebuscripes wrote:

BENNY7 wrote:
Schools do not teach you how to learn they only teach the past facts... Teachers get paid to teach pupils how to pass tests... to be honest your daughter is best off in isolation. The comments on here are from the 95% brigade who's egos don't allow anything different into their lives.

Steve Jobs
Duncan Bannatyne
Benjamin Franklin
Richard Branson
Jay-Z
Michelle Mone
Aretha Franklin

Be creative & do not listen to others opinions just watch what successful people do & incorporate that into your own style...

The journey is the reward.

Good luck & Well done!

Good trolling.

Letcommonsenseprevai
l wrote:
I've just had the slap-on-the-wrist message from The Echo because of the comments I posted on this story, I also see the comments have been removed. i thought the press was about freedom of speech - obviuosly not!!!! I stand by what I said, for those that can remember it!! Pink hair, I ask you.

boscombewizard wrote:
There are a lot of comments here saying that 'rules are rules' and should always be obeyed. I disagree. If everyone obeyed all the rules all the time nothing would ever change. That said this Mother hasn't said that the rule is wrong, nor that it should be disobeyed. She has objected to the unfair application of this 'rule' and that the rule itself isn't stated or clear. From what I read there are other girls with dyed hair but not pink.

Schools will always try to make everyone comply and look the same. It's what they do, people have to tolerate it. To make everyone 'uniform' is the aim. There is this bizarre belief that the wearing of school uniform and being obedient is a pre requisite for good learning. If that is the case how come there is so much concern about attainment and behaviour? Funny how many countries seem to achieve good results in schools without school uniform.

The compliance culture in this country is now entrenched amongst the majority. It will change. I hope Bille and her mother can achieve some change even if it is just a discussion about how rules are agreed and stated.

stevobath wrote:

speedy231278 wrote:
"they are saying their pupils can’t have individuality"

Correct. Hence the term school UNIFORM. All kids are supposed to wear the same clothes and aren't supposed to have excessive makeup, much if anything in the way of jewellry, and not have outlandish hairstyles. I would say bright pink tips counts as outlandish, and is going to be a breach of the school rules.

It looks like the mother dyes her hair too, so she's probably just trying to make some sort of silly point about being allowed to be different.

Schools want kids to be robots.Individuality is seen as some kind of sickness.

I was labelled an 'individualist' at school, because I was different.IE I had a 'Flat Top' & later got into the 'Goth' scene.I equate it to bullying by teachers.
I was an above average pupil,in the top grade for ALL subjects & I died my hair on regular occasions.I was also one of the best all round sportspersons at my school & went on to represent my school & town at athletics, this IN SPITE of being one of those awful INDIVIDUALIST..Why shouldnt a young person experiment & express themselves?...So what if a kid comes to school & proclaims, 'Im Gay'? That being 'Different' to some narrow minded types...Do you exclude them? Individuality should be encouraged, not stifled, as long as its not affecting school work.

boscombewizard wrote:
carolyn 43: The reason for having a uniform is so that there is no discrimination - a pupil from a very well off family will not be distinguishable from one where the family has to buy clothes from a charity shop.

I worked in schools for many years, wearing a uniform does not 'hide' the poor children. They are just as identifiable in uniform as not.

If the wearing of a uniform promotes membership and pride should staff not wear a uniform also?

leah6153 wrote:
I always 'conform' to rules etc...There are NO clear rules set by the school for all to see..They make up the rules as they see fit!! But thank you for your educated insight!!!

Frogsporn wrote:

leah6153 wrote:
I always 'conform' to rules etc...There are NO clear rules set by the school for all to see..They make up the rules as they see fit!! But thank you for your educated insight!!!

Contrary to your statement the rules pertaining to hair colour, jewellery wearing etc are indeed published on the schools website.

It took me about five minutes to find them. Page 48 of the School's Prospectus is where they are all clearly laid out.

"Natural hair colour only"

HTH.

Letcommonsenseprevai
l wrote:
"No respect for the rules", "What is it with parents like this?", "They are there to LEARN, not to show off the latest hair style", "Learn some respect", "Most girls at this school go to school with skirts hitched up around their wastes and full makeup on, yet the teachers say NOTHING" - just a few quotes from the above. Can you guess which one is from the mother?

supafletch wrote:
Good luck to you Leah - you come across as a decent person in my eyes.
I can think of worse things than a bit of pink in your daughters hair (which looks nice anyway).

BENNY7 wrote:

jeebuscripes wrote:

BENNY7 wrote:
Schools do not teach you how to learn they only teach the past facts... Teachers get paid to teach pupils how to pass tests... to be honest your daughter is best off in isolation. The comments on here are from the 95% brigade who's egos don't allow anything different into their lives.

Steve Jobs
Duncan Bannatyne
Benjamin Franklin
Richard Branson
Jay-Z
Michelle Mone
Aretha Franklin

Be creative & do not listen to others opinions just watch what successful people do & incorporate that into your own style...

The journey is the reward.

Good luck & Well done!

Good trolling.

wow jeebuscripes, great insight thank you...

leah6153 wrote:

Frogsporn wrote:

leah6153 wrote:
I always 'conform' to rules etc...There are NO clear rules set by the school for all to see..They make up the rules as they see fit!! But thank you for your educated insight!!!

Contrary to your statement the rules pertaining to hair colour, jewellery wearing etc are indeed published on the schools website.

It took me about five minutes to find them. Page 48 of the School's Prospectus is where they are all clearly laid out.

"Natural hair colour only"

HTH.

Interesting, I know the school have been reading the comments.. I'm pleased they have added the rules to their website :)

Boscomite wrote:
I think that most of the posters here are missing the point. Putting a 13 year old girl into isolation, is a very cruel thing to do and equates to child abuse. If the school thought that this was such a heinous offence, then they should have suspended her and sent her home. Her mother has taken her out of school thereby achieving the same results. Good for her.

bucksteacher wrote:

Boscomite wrote:
I think that most of the posters here are missing the point. Putting a 13 year old girl into isolation, is a very cruel thing to do and equates to child abuse. If the school thought that this was such a heinous offence, then they should have suspended her and sent her home. Her mother has taken her out of school thereby achieving the same results. Good for her.

No - excluding her and sending her home would go permanently on her school record, would involve the governors, would be reported to the local authority and is a more serious sanction than isolation in school. I am an Assistant Headteacher responsible for this area of a different school. I would advise caution before you imply that Ringwood School is commiting child abuse!

bucksteacher wrote:
Boscomite - what actually is your problem with teachers? Perhaps you need to focus your anger and frustration on the politicians you refer to. Leave the job of educating the next generation to the professionals in the classroom.

Boscomite wrote:
Given the very rapid response to this article, all in defence of the school, by a lot of people who seem to be new to these forums, I can't help wondering if there has been some orchestration involved. Another form of bullying.

retry69 wrote:
Not for the first time, but my comment is constructive and my opinion is that i would be concerned for my safety and my familys sharing space with you.

Boscomite wrote:

retry69 wrote:
Not for the first time, but my comment is constructive and my opinion is that i would be concerned for my safety and my familys sharing space with you.

Which is relevant to this story how exactly?

bucksteacher wrote:
boscomite - some sensible points in your latest, but I must pick you up on one thing...

Schools have had to focus on their positions in league tables. Successive governments have created a situation where this is everything and the school stands or falls on these positions, in the eyes of parents. Believe me, the schools are as frustrated by this as you, but it needs education to be detached from politics for this situation to improve.

Schools (and hard working and dedicated teachers in them) are doing what they can to counteract the harm being done to the attitudes of a porportion of children by bad parenting and the media.

To return to this story, in my view this school followed the correct protocol, but perhaps should have picked up on the bleaching sooner. However, by pulling her daughter out of school and then going to the media, I fear that this mum could have significantly impacted on her daughter's attitude to authority. She still has the option of moving her daughter to a school with looser rules (but no doubt lower standards of teaching too).

Boscomite wrote:

bucksteacher wrote:
boscomite - some sensible points in your latest, but I must pick you up on one thing...

Schools have had to focus on their positions in league tables. Successive governments have created a situation where this is everything and the school stands or falls on these positions, in the eyes of parents. Believe me, the schools are as frustrated by this as you, but it needs education to be detached from politics for this situation to improve.

Schools (and hard working and dedicated teachers in them) are doing what they can to counteract the harm being done to the attitudes of a porportion of children by bad parenting and the media.

To return to this story, in my view this school followed the correct protocol, but perhaps should have picked up on the bleaching sooner. However, by pulling her daughter out of school and then going to the media, I fear that this mum could have significantly impacted on her daughter's attitude to authority. She still has the option of moving her daughter to a school with looser rules (but no doubt lower standards of teaching too).

We may be finding some common ground here. I know my daughter gets frustrated by constantly having to reach government targets and not being able to get on with her job teaching. But that's a different discussion. I feel in this instance, by refusing to enter into any dialouge with the parents, the school left the mother no other option but to highlight the situation in the media. What mother is going to stand back and allow her child to be singled out in this way?

bucksteacher wrote:
Sorry - meant to say 'I don't think the article suggests that the school did NOT maintain a dialogue'.

keith milton wrote:
we have become a nation of cloned slaves,
you are not missing anything by being taken out of school,
everything being taught in schools is what the establishment want you to learn about and nothing more,and most of what is being taught is propaganda and lies.schools are nothing but indoctrination camps.
home schooling is the only way you will learn anything