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?