Boy kept home after school insists he cuts off ponytail

[Djones]

Boy kept home after school insists he cuts off ponytail
http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/09/22/b...lnk4|78890



An 11-year-old boy has been taken out of school by his dad after teaching staff said he had to cut off his ponytail to comply with the school's uniform code.

Connor Wallwork has sported the three-inch 'tail since he was a toddler, and his dad says it is 'natural' to him to wear it, and would cause him distress if it was removed. He added he felt the school was infringing his son's human rights by insisting he changed his hairstyle.

Connor, who is a pupil at Westhoughton High in Bolton, was told he would have his lessons in isolation until he had his hair cut, but his outraged dad, Geoff Wallwork, 46, withdrew him from school altogether, saying: "He's had the ponytail since he was a toddler, it is natural to him.
It would be like cutting someone's finger off. I've spoken to the head and he says it's got to come off. They asked me if it is a religious thing. It's not but it is what my son believes. It's all right for girls but not for lads, it's infringement of human rights."

Mr Wallwork insisted his son's hair was not a problem for anyone else at the school, telling reporters at the Bolton News: "No one else has complained about it, he's not hurting anyone and it's not distracting him or anyone else in lessons. If he had a pink Mohican I could understand it, but it's just a small pony tail."

Connor has spent just four days at Westhoughton since starting at the beginning of September. The school's pastoral team have now visited him and his dad to try and facilitate his return to school, but headteacher Phil Hart maintains the school's uniform policy is 'clear'.

He said: "The school has a clear uniform code which covers uniform and hairstyles. This is published to all our parents and carers and is part of the student planner.

"We ask for the support of all parents and carers in supporting our high standards and ensuring the uniform code is followed by every student."

Mr Wallwork has asked the school to send work home for Connor so he does not fall behind with his studies.

Meanwhile, Connor says he likes his hair and does not want it cut - and says his new school is actually 'all right' apart from their 'problem with my hair'.

[Hans Olo]

and that's another reason against government run schools. right there.

[Armilus]

(09-23-2011 08:54 AM)Djones Wrote:  [...]
An 11-year-old boy has been taken out of school by his dad after teaching staff said he had to cut off his ponytail to comply with the school's uniform code.

Connor Wallwork has sported the three-inch 'tail since he was a toddler, and his dad says it is 'natural' to him to wear it, and would cause him distress if it was removed. He added he felt the school was infringing his son's human rights by insisting he changed his hairstyle.

Connor, who is a pupil at Westhoughton High in Bolton, was told he would have his lessons in isolation until he had his hair cut, but his outraged dad, Geoff Wallwork, 46, withdrew him from school altogether, saying: "He's had the ponytail since he was a toddler, it is natural to him.
[...]

No, ponytails are not natural for humans. I would understand if he was a pony (small horse), and they wanted to cut his natural tail, but if a school has certain dress code, they better respect it, or find some other school.

[Dunamis]

(09-23-2011 11:31 AM)Armilus Wrote:  No, ponytails are not natural for humans. I would understand if he was a pony (small horse), and they wanted to cut his natural tail, but if a school has certain dress code, they better respect it, or find some other school.

Are you serious? What is "natural" for humans then, short hair? Clearly really long hair can be an issue and so some people tie it back, "pony tail" is MERELY a term used for the type of tying back because it looks like a an actual pony, or horses tail.

And then you continue with suggesting it is appropriate at a school, where education is supposed to take place, to teach people that appearance (not cleanliness or hygiene, but aesthetics in this case) is important enough to segregate someone to isolated education unless they "conform" to the "Status quo" and immoral "dress code", which btw is about "DRESS", not bodily appearance. Hair grows from the body if girls are allowed, so should boys. Nails for example can cause harm and be impractical at school, and such a "short nails" rule goes for both male and females.

[thokling]

(09-23-2011 10:11 AM)Hans Olo Wrote:  and that's another reason against government run schools. right there.

Because it's not up to the people to run the governments, and instead allow them and schools to operate autonomously? There's an example of self-victimisation and lack of backbone. "Right there."

The sad part is that this attitude has been let go for so long that, even though it's discrimination on the part of the school, the administrators have completely pulled the wool over the eyes of the parents. A good rally can change the system if people so desire.

Nah, it's easier to let "authority figures" run things for us, isn't it?

[rockingtheboat]

Government-run-schools' main and only goal is to mold the citizens into a serf, a subject to the ruling class, a subservient personality-devoid zombie, an obedient and conformity-obsessed cretin.

The rules that the ruling class concoct are simply obedience and submissiveness training for the masses. Such as : "buckle your seat-belt when driving", "wear a uniform at school", "cut your hair in a certain way at school"....etc

I think that even the red light traffic is an obedience training in some instances : a cop will give you a ticket at 3 AM on a deserted road because you saw there was no traffic and proceeded to go through a red light. Yep, that's their way of saying to you : "we don't give a shit, empty road or not. Obey our signs and symbols, you are not allowed to make your own judgement, end of the story." . Yeah, I know I sound extreme to some of you, but that's how I really feel about those things. I wish I was a zombie like everybody else, ie: miserable and unaware of it, cretin and happy, enslaved and satisfied.

[Armilus]

(09-23-2011 07:36 PM)Dunamis Wrote:  

(09-23-2011 11:31 AM)Armilus Wrote:  No, ponytails are not natural for humans. I would understand if he was a pony (small horse), and they wanted to cut his natural tail, but if a school has certain dress code, they better respect it, or find some other school.

Are you serious? What is "natural" for humans then, short hair? Clearly really long hair can be an issue and so some people tie it back, "pony tail" is MERELY a term used for the type of tying back because it looks like a an actual pony, or horses tail.

And then you continue with suggesting it is appropriate at a school, where education is supposed to take place, to teach people that appearance (not cleanliness or hygiene, but aesthetics in this case) is important enough to segregate someone to isolated education unless they "conform" to the "Status quo" and immoral "dress code", which btw is about "DRESS", not bodily appearance. Hair grows from the body if girls are allowed, so should boys. Nails for example can cause harm and be impractical at school, and such a "short nails" rule goes for both male and females.

They said it is natural for him, which may at best apply to his personality, but since nobody is born with a ponytail they can conform to school's rules and show some order and discipline for a change.

Yes, i know, it may sound "fascist" and people may cry, but order and discipline are needed if you want a healthy and strong society. Besides, not all schools require this, so they can find some other school, if they are so sensitive and offended.

This issue is much deeper than stupid ponytails. Society became lazy, disorganized and weak. This is the reason people can be manipulated left and right, and they never can organize properly. Only when people realize their personal rights and freedoms are secondary to what is best for the society, only then order will prevail and defeating corruption will be something natural.

[Djones]

Eveyone here has good points but someone tell me why are girls able to have long hair and not boys, why would my daughter be able to but not my son?

Neither were born with long hair, it is not natural for either. So why is it acceptable for her and not him?

[Armilus]

Because it is more socially acceptable, it all depends on society/region. Somewhere long hair is no problem at all, when i was in school many friends had long hair, and nobody even talked about it, we had other concerns, as well as teachers.

Of course you are born with hair, i meant nobody is born with a ponytail.

[pax681]

(09-24-2011 10:07 AM)Armilus Wrote:  Because it is more socially acceptable, it all depends on society/region. Somewhere long hair is no problem at all, when i was in school many friends had long hair, and nobody even talked about it, we had other concerns, as well as teachers.

Of course you are born with hair, i meant nobody is born with a ponytail.

if you want to take your rediculous bullshit to the extreme then the only "natural" hair do for anyone would be manky clagggy dirty dreadlocks.
you bullshit about "short hair" and "discipline2 is absolute CRAP.
The school i went to there was no dress code, there was no bullshit about hair cuts.. fuck.. if you didn't really want to.. you didn't even have to go to lessons.
99% of the students DID go though.
the long hair is ok for girls and not ok for boys is utter SHITE....
have your hair however you like it and fuck what anyone thinks about it.
good on the lad and good on his father for sticking up for him.
and yeah.. i have long hair and so do my son and daughter.
me because i like my hair long and them.. because they want their hair long.
my son likes his shoulder length and my wee girl has hers halfway down her back.

[Dunamis]

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  Yes, i know, it may sound "fascist" and people may cry, but order and discipline are needed if you want a healthy and strong society. Besides, not all schools require this, so they can find some other school, if they are so sensitive and offended.

Order and discipline, sure. I only wish I had more such discipline when I was younger, I'd probably be much better at self discipline and not still struggling with it at almost 30!

But to suggest that a rule regarding males having long hair in school beings such "order and discipline" is completely absurd. Schools had much stricter policies in the past, and yet they have given rise to the society you yourself deplore.

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  Besides, not all schools require this, so they can find some other school, if they are so sensitive and offended.

I don't think you read the article to well, they have pulled their child out of school, so they have done just this. But to suggest it would be because they are so "sensitive and offended" is a little unreasonable, they, like myself, Djones and Pax, may just see the absurdity of allowing pure aesthetics to come into the way a school is run and not agree with it or comply.

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  This issue is much deeper than stupid ponytails.

So they are "stupid" now? Are you sure you don't just disagree with long hair on men?

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  Society became lazy, disorganized and weak.

When did this happen? You consider this a recent occurrence?

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  This is the reason people can be manipulated left and right, and they never can organize properly.[/b]

WHAT?

Are you suggesting that in some recent time this has come about? That mankind has not always allowed itself to be manipulated and controlled by a few? I'd love to hear more on your theories of this better" world that used to exist.

(09-24-2011 03:20 AM)Armilus Wrote:  Only when people realize their personal rights and freedoms are secondary to what is best for the society, only then order will prevail and defeating corruption will be something natural.

Quite simplistic there. Do you not already realise that most people here are those that put others before themselves?

But what you are doing is taking the choice to have freedom to choose hair length and connecting it to defeating corruption. That's a LONG shot.

Your above last statement also is used to justify, but not limited to, the following:

• War against nations such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba
• Trade Embargo's on nations such as Palestine and Iran
• Eugenics and forced sterilisation
• Sex education for under 10's
• The sacrifice of liberty for security
  

And I agree with Jefferson in that, "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."

Sadly the argument you pose it the same as that of elitists, Freemasons and those pushing for World government.

[Armilus]

(09-24-2011 02:22 PM)Dunamis Wrote:  And I agree with Jefferson in that, "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."

Sadly the argument you pose it the same as that of elitists, Freemasons and those pushing for World government.

And who would Jefferson be without Freemasons et al., anyway? Don't you realize, those few in the shadows created America, not pilgrims.

Yes, i am for the World government, because it is only natural for an advanced civilization to unite globally. Borders are useful when technology is primitive and you need to protect resources from hungry invaders.

To answer the stuff above, i don't care if men have long hair or if they are bald -- that is not the issue. Conformity to the rules is what is important in this case. Without some discipline you get nothing, society breaks down sooner or later. General apathy develops and people are tolerant towards everything, which allows degeneration and weakness to spread. This is also why they can be manipulated easily -- demoralized society is easiest to manipulate.

Decades ago people had some morals and respect, so yes it was better, but i understand certain processes going on require this society to become more degenerated. Most Freemasons, at least those in the US have no idea about this, and they wonder in disbelief what has happened to America.

[Bull Medicine]

This makes national press, eh? Begs the question : Is Phil Hart a common purpose goon?

[Dunamis]

@Armilus, it still begs the question, why do you find AESTHETICS of the hair to be a worthy area of showing the good in discipline?

[Armilus]

I don't care about his hair, although i find it funny how they got upset over it. I answered this above: "Conformity to the rules is what is important in this case." If you want to build something. If not, who cares. One of the characteristics of the new aeon is merging of the opposites, so i guess there must be room for both order and disorder. Not that this case is anything really disorderly, it's just people complaining over nonsense, because they don't know what else to do.