A school in Essex has told its pupils they will be banned from the classroom if they turn up for lessons with 'Joey Essex' haircuts.
The Only Way is Essex star is currently sporting a 'pompadour' style, with a large bouffant to the top of his head, and a shaved look to the sides and back.
The Mail reports that mums and dads of kids at the Billericay School have had a letter home saying that if their children have TOWIE inspired 'extreme haircuts', they will be banned from lessons.
One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, told reporters that Joey's current style has been around forever - even sported by Elvis in his day.
"I can understand banning some extreme haircuts but this is just ridiculous. This haircut has been about since the 50s and it didn't hey even shock people then," the parent said. "There is nothing extreme about it but I'm not prepared to risk my boy's education over a haircut."
Headteacher Sue Hammond said in her letter that the school's uniform policy clearly outlined what hairstyles were suitable for school - and Joey's pompadour was not one of them.
"Our school uniform policy provides clear guidelines as to those hairstyles which are acceptable in school and those which are not," she wrote. "I would ask for your support in refraining from allowing your son to cut his hair into an extreme version of the style as, if he does, he will be unable to attend mainstream lessons until such time as his hair has grown out."
So desperate are staff to keep the Joey Essex style out of their school, they have even told local barbers that anything shorter than a grade two on the sides will not be acceptable for their pupils.
John Revell from the Billericay Barber Shop told the Mail he had been contacted by the school, but would continue to cut hair however his customers requested it.
"I'm not prepared to lose customers over it - I would do whatever they ask," he said. "We do warn the lads now, but if you don't do the cut, there are plenty of other barbers who would."
Local councillor Phil Turner leapt to the school's defence and said it was not a 'draconian measure but a plea for pupils to look nice'.
"I understand what the school is saying," he said. "Some people are taking a bit of a liberty, not everyone, so the school is saying 'can you be sensible about this?' There is a fine line between what is acceptable and what isn't."
What do you think?