However, when she came to collect her son, Julieann was shocked to learn that he had been told he could not have his photo taken like the rest of his classmates. She then went to speak to the Headteacher of the setting to see what had happened.
Julieann went to Headteacher Patricia Stoker to complain and was informed that her son’s hair was too short to be included.
“We were really looking forward to having his picture taken with the other children, and he was talking about it on the way to nursery that morning.”
“It would have been his first ever school photos. I was very, very upset and angry.”
“My son was refused because of his hairstyle. He has had the exact same hairstyle since he started nursery in September, and the school has never said it was inappropriate.”
“He was the only one in his year who was excluded.”
The youngster was left disappointed and without his first official photo, one the whole family had been looking forward to seeing.
On the matter, Headteacher Mrs Stoker said:
“Every family with a child at our school receives a home school agreement, which includes the school uniform policy and extreme haircuts.
“Also letters are regularly sent out to remind parents of the school rules on extreme haircuts.
“That agreement, drawn up and agreed by staff and parents/carers at our school is there to help maintain levels of attainment, behaviour and discipline and improve standards.
“For a number of years, we have taken the time and trouble to arrange a photographer to come into school to take pictures of children on behalf of their families without any problems.
“We are all disappointed that this year a handful of parents who chose to ignore the home school agreement policies and rules, should deliberately disrupt those arrangements for everyone else.
“The vast majority of parents/carers of 370 pupils at our school respected the school uniform policy and will receive their photographs.”
If staff are failing to notify parents when they have broken the school rules on haircut styles , is it right to exclude the child from photographs?
I think this is a disgraceful decision the school has taken. It was once obligatory to have short hair and how on earth can you discriminate against a child for the decision his parents have made regarding his hair cut. If he has had this style since September the school should have pointed it out to his parents that it was unacceptable – although how on earth they could justify short hair as being unacceptable is beyond me. To exclude him from a group photo, when lets face it, it would be extremely hard to notice how short his hair is anyway, is tantamount to mental abuse. And if it was a portrait, the style of hair was his parents decision and therefore the photograph would be totally acceptable to them. I think the school needs to reconsider their policies and concentrate on the things that really matter and not a childs haircut. AND if they still decide the haircut is unacceptable take it up with the parents and leave the child alone. I wonder if they have an anti bullying policy because this is what it amounts to in my opinion.
If the school has a hairstyle policy it should be clearly written so that all parents understand it – and it should be enforced from the beginning, and throughout, every term by the school.
Allowing a child to wear a ‘non-uniform’ hairstyle for several weeks and then excluding the child, without warning, from school photgraphs is clearly a wrong and unfair decision – if this is the ‘full story’ of course.
Whilst I appreciate the comment about individuality, young children also need to learn to obey rules and, in most instances, to ‘conform’ within their society. Non obeyance of rules and conformity at an early age can lead to the child growing up with the idea that they can break rules whenever they choose to – and this is not a good thing for young children to learn!
looks just like the hairstyle my grandad had, he fought in the WW1 !!!
It is completely outrageous to say this hairstyle is extreme.
Sometimes just a little common sense is needed! Include him in the photo – then a quiet word – we would rather his hair was not so short on the sides next time. We are all individuals – that’s how we muddle along in this world. We all have different ideas and skills. Spending more time on encouraging each individual, rather than trying to get us all looking the same would probably pay dividends in the long run. I thought he looked rather neat and tidy actually – just right for a photo!