The tall poppies get the cut.
Here's a pretty old post from the blog archives of Geekery Today; it was written about 14 years ago, in 2010, on the World Wide Web.
Give Me Down to There Hair. Daily Brickbats (2010-09-03):
Officials at Godley Middle School in Texas have placed 12-year-old Chris McGregor in in-school detention until he cuts his hair. The school dress code bars male students from having hair below the shoulders, and McGregor’s locks are too long. Superintendent Paul Smithson says the rule helps reduce bullying. You see,…
In which Superintended Paul Smithson is using indefinite in-school suspension to make sure that no student “stands out” in any way.
Here’s his justification for this insane enforcement of an inane policy: “Bullying’s a big thing, and we want to make sure everyone’s dressed appropriately, someone doesn’t bring attention to themselves so that someone says something to them, and all of a sudden we have a problem.”
Yep: a problem with the bullies. So why does Paul Smithson’s policy punish the victims instead?
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I think the bullies here are the ‘officials’ (since when did schools have officials? Aren’t they staff? Teachers? Administrators?)
Because schools are there the create conformity, and bullies enforce conformity. Thereby enforcing the true purpose of schooling.
“I think the bullies here are the !!!@@e2;20ac;2dc;officials'”
This was my first thought. When a student harasses another student for having long hair, that’s bullying. When an “official” harasses a student for having long hair, that’s just enforcing the “dress code.”
What a bunch of creepers. What is it about American middle school administrative culture that makes adults think playing haircut police is worth their time?