Florida School District to Ban Extreme Hair and Makeup
Quick, kids—hide the Manic Panic!
Florida's Lake County School Board voted on June 18 to ban students from having "extreme hairstyles, unnatural hair colors, or makeup that is disruptive or does not allow direct eye contact," local affiliate 13 News reports.
The measure, which is up for a final vote on August 22, the first day of school, will help curb teasing and style-related distractions, school board members insist.
If passed, the ban will see mohawked and excessively mascara-ed students receiving a verbal warning for their first offense. Subsequent violations will result in the parents being called to school and the student being excused from extracurricular activities.
Not surprisingly, the proposal is getting plenty of criticism from students who say that it infringes upon their personal expression.
"I just think it's unfair because we want to express ourselves," Mindey Rivera, a senior at South Lake High School, tells the news station. "We want to show everybody who we are and not just hide it."
Others are troubled by just how the district will define "extreme" and "unnatural."
"Where do you draw the line with hairstyles," parent Lori Sokoloski asks. "If a boy wants to have long hair, are they going to say well 'boys have to have short hair. Girls have to have long hair.' Where is that line going to be drawn? They're supposed to be there to educate, not worry about hair styles, hair colors."
But cheer up, kiddos. If the ban passes, you might finally be able to crack down on the vice-principal's "extreme" comb-over and the history teacher's "unnatural" blue rinse.
