Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz
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@Crucial The school is trying to maintain order and a certain standard, which I'm totally cool with. He doesn't have to justify it, thats the rule, end of. His mum doesn't have to like it and he does have a choice, which is to move into the zone of a school with a more relaxed dress code. Frankly his excuse his super lame IMHO
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@canefan said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@Crucial The school is trying to maintain order and a certain standard, which I'm totally cool with. He doesn't have to justify it, thats the rule, end of. His mum doesn't have to like it and he does have a choice, which is to move into the zone of a school with a more relaxed dress code. Frankly his excuse his super lame IMHO
How is the length of his hair disorderly? What standard does it breach other than an arbitrary one they have created themselves?
I know they don't have to justify the rule, the stupidity goes back to the MoE for allowing these rules in the first place despite the fact the they have an obligation to provide an education to school age people in their zone. His mother is doing exactly what you suggest and looking to move rather than abide by silly archaic rules. She is simply pointing that out to them and asking about whether a change could be considered before moving. His reason for having long hair isn't even relevant.
What I'm saying is that I would be interested to hear the reasons behind the rule because I can't think of any except to create an avenue to create and display power over subordinates. That concept has its place in environments such as armed forces but, IMO, is not required in state schools. If you want to set up a strict rules environment type school it should be private choice. -
um, that boy, looks like a girl....
In these situations you know the rules of the school, yet still try to go there, so you are just doing it to stir things up.
Yes it may seem a stupid rule to you, and many likely have been there for many years and the BOT have decided not to change it, so why not choose another school?
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I'm an old fashioned git too.
Useful or not as a rule, I suppose it does get kids used to following appearance rules for when they matter later in life. Be it hi-vis vests, or realising that facial tattoo's are fine so long as you don't then expect to work for Emirates, etc etc. I guess I'm also a grumpy old git who gets fed up of all such media stories trying to fuel outrage on relatively trivial matters...
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Schools have rules, have done since the year dot.
Never been popular but it's how it is
Don't like it then fuck off and be home schooled. What happens when this kids graduates and settles in for a likely career of flipping burgers at McDonalds, what if they ask him to tie up or cut his hair? -
@taniwharugby said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
um, that boy, looks like a girl....
In these situations you know the rules of the school, yet still try to go there, so you are just doing it to stir things up.
Yes it may seem a stupid rule to you, and many likely have been there for many years and the BOT have decided not to change it, so why not choose another school?
Read the article TR. That's exactly what they are doing. He isn't going to the school yet. The fact is though that he Grammar is a public school that exists to educate kids that live in their zone. It shouldn't be that they only educate kids that conform to an old fashioned value such as 'boys should have short hair'.
Jobs, private schools etc etc are a totally different kettle of fish. They can do what they like (within boundaries of non discrimination etc)
Put simply this kid's family is having to move house to get him the education he is entitled to by law because he does not want to change his physical appearance to suit a rule that has no basis in reason.
You can prepare and educate kids for later life without placing silly demands on them.But yes, the school (under MoE regs) is entitled to enforce these rules and that's the way they run. I would prefer to think we lived in a progressive society where the reality that conformity is not the be all and end all was recognised.
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@Crucial said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@taniwharugby said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
um, that boy, looks like a girl....
In these situations you know the rules of the school, yet still try to go there, so you are just doing it to stir things up.
Yes it may seem a stupid rule to you, and many likely have been there for many years and the BOT have decided not to change it, so why not choose another school?
You can't prepare and educate kids for later life without placing silly demands on them.
Haha, fixed....
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I agree @Crucial it's a stupid rule and should be called out. The length of someone's hair is completely irrelevant to education, or the workforce for that matter. I can't actually think of a single job that doesn't allow long hair? Hardly "preparing him for the real world". I work in a corporate environment and there are plenty of guys with longer hair. The only thing that comes to mind is some jobs requiring it be tied back for H&S reasons.
However, I do have strong reservations about going to the media and plastering this poor kids face all over the internet though, especially when it comes to a fairly polarising subject like this. That's pretty bloody irresponsible of his mother.
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@No-Quarter said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
I agree @Crucial it's a stupid rule and should be called out. The length of someone's hair is completely irrelevant to education, or the workforce for that matter. I can't actually think of a single job that doesn't allow long hair? Hardly "preparing him for the real world". I work in a corporate environment and there are plenty of guys with longer hair. The only thing that comes to mind is some jobs requiring it be tied back for H&S reasons.
Are there equally stupid rules in your workplace that don't make sense, but you have to go along with? I could grow my hair down to my knees where I work for all that it matters or they care... but there are plenty of other nonsensical rules that require either obeying or leaving if I don't want to follow them...
I wouldn't die in a ditch defending the school over it, but I do wonder about the mother going to the Herald in the hope of overturning it too...
I'd wonder about the Herald for running the story too... but the days of having any expectations of our media are long gone.
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@Donsteppa to be honest no, there aren't really any nonsensical rules at my workplace that I can think of. Most of the rules are to do with health and safety or common decency, which make perfect sense. If my workplace suddenly decided all men have to cut their hair short there'd be a LOT of push-back from staff I imagine.
I think rules, like the law, should be refined over time. Just because something made sense 50-100 years ago doesn't mean it still makes sense today, and organisations should constantly evolve and adapt. It's a shit rule and it doesn't make sense.
I agree with the second part of your post 100% though. It's not news-worthy, it's not even important. If the majority of students/parents feel strongly about it then they can petition the school to review it. One woman crying to the media, while having her poor sons face plastered all over the internet, is shit from both her and the Herald for reporting it.
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There was a similar story about a guy with long hair being denied enrolment at a school a few years back. I can't remember the exact details but I don't think the school changed their stance then either, as is their right. Looking like one of the Hanson brothers in this instance probably doesn't help!
One thing I would say is that school's hair standards have changed over the years. I'm not talking about from the 1970s where long hair was often the norm but from the 80s and 90s to now. My old school does require hair length to be above the collar now but it certainly wasn't enforced when I was there.
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@Donsteppa Please stop posting on this thread.I'm running out of likes.
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@Chris-B. said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@Rembrandt said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@taniwharugby If you want to live as another gender then that's great and fine but you can't expect the entire world to change overnight just to fit you in.
That's the key point, really. A bit of self-awareness to recognize that society is a give and take deal. If society will accept your gender-reassignment that's all good. But, then surely you recognize that the process has given you significant advantages that shouldn't be exploited.
If you want an Olympic gold medal then get it before you start your treatments - like Bruce Jenner!