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Question: Can your principal not allow you to dye your hair an odd color or wear heavy makeup and things like that if its not in the rules?

Answer: Public schools are allowed to adopt reasonable rules for student dress and grooming at school. As a general rule, if what you wear or the way you look is not prohibited by the school's rules, then you can do it.

There is, however, one important exception. Schools can always tell a student to change clothing or remove make-up if it causes a distraction or creates a health or safety concern.

Private schools have much more latitude with regard dress codes.


Comments
1 thru 5 of 19 comments
On 04/07/08
Kye from GA said:
This is really ridiculous. Yes, they do have a handbook that we must sign..so therefore we have to follow the rules. We do want to fight back but they MAKE US sign it! Its not like we can all afford to change schools until we find one with reasonable rules. But not allowing us to dye our hair is WRONG. Its mostly the clothing rules that deny us our freedom of a PERSONALITY.
On 05/20/04
Eric Wilson from UT said:
Why should we give up anyone of our rights? We have the right to dye our hair according to the school rules they cant discriminate by them picking you out of a crowd they are. In the school rules it says they will not discriminate on any bases. They also say it is a distraction well by haven the rule it makes it a distraction by not allowing the students not do it makes so everyone notice that somthing is differnt but if everyone did then it would just be another fad. I would love to hear some feed back on this...
On 05/19/04
Kerri from VA said:
My neice lives in Pa, In her school they have to wear uniforms which is ok I think. But when it comes to how she does her hair and her make up should not b up to the school to decide. She is a natural blonde and felt like she wanted to change it to another color ( Burgandy) well the school is trying to get her suspended because she dyed her hair. I don't think it is up to the school system to say how a child can do their hair, makeup, or even wear jewlery for that matter. I believe that is taking away from her individuality as a growing child to make her own choices. They need to get a grip.
On 03/04/04
Michael from TX said:
When my younger brother was in school back in 94. Their was a big deal about hair color. But the students got organized, and had almost 150 people come to school with their hair color changed on the same day and with a lot of parents support. The school backed down and changed the rule. Their is no reason to be afraid of teachers and principals, your parents pay their salary, and students have numbers over them and if you can get your parents to support you, you have a good chance of winning.
On 01/30/04
Shala from MI said:
They School handbook has the rules in it so when they make a rule that is not in the hand book then it is not really a rule. They say that we have to follwo the rules in the hand book and are shoving it down our throts.
1 thru 5 of 19 comments



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