Boy Who Cut Hair Short For Sea Cadets Separated From Class At School Until Hair Grows
This Boy's Haircut Has Caused A Lot Of Bother At School
SWNS
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An 11-year-old boy has been separated from his classmates, because his hair - which he had cut so his sea cadet beret would fit - is considered to be too short.
Ben Anderson has been punished less than a month after starting at secondary school because his hair cut with the sides shaved to a very short grade of 0.5 is in breach of school policy.
Mum Steph Anderson has now threatened to pull her son out of Tor Bridge High School in Plymouth, Devon.
She said: "I got a phone call from the school to say that he would be sitting in segregation outside the office, including every break and lunch time until his hair grows."
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Anderson added: "[Ben] got his hair cut on Monday night because he is the leading cadet in his squadron at sea cadets and he had to have his hair tidied up for inspection.
"He has to have it that short because his hair grows really quickly. It's not an offensive haircut.
"Where do his human rights come in when the school is telling him how long or short he can have his hair?
"He goes into school, abides by all the school uniform, is smart and tidy and is enthusiastic to learn and now he's sat in segregation as if he is naughty."
The school said its policy, signed by the parents or guardians of each pupil, states that haircuts must be no shorter than grade two. The rule is also stated in the uniform section on the school's website.
Miss Anderson insists she did not see the rule in the school's policy.
She said: "It's not fair; he shouldn't be punished for something we didn't know anything about.
"If I had known, I might not have chosen the school."
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Liz Dunstan, principal at Tor Bridge High, said: "All new students when they start at Tor Bridge High are given a home/school agreement that gives parents and carers details of our expectations before their children begin with us in Year 7.
"Miss Anderson has signed this home school agreement.
"It clearly states in our uniform policy that haircuts under a grade two are not allowed.
"As a school we are extremely supportive and proud of our students who are involved in various cadet groups and have a number of students who belong to these organisations whose haircuts do not breach our uniform policy."
The case is the latest controversy involving pupil's hair as several schools brought in stricter regulations for the start of the new academic year.
Every parent of a thick-haired kid's worst nightmare, lice are insects that feed and lay their eggs on the human scalp. (Itchy yet?) How it gets around: Head lice is spread through hair-to-hair contact or by sharing things like hats, headphones, and hair brushes.Symptoms: The first sign of head lice is usually an itchy scalp. Check your child's hair for lice and their eggs (nits), which are usually whitish in colour and found close to the base of the hair shaft. The Rx: Suds up with a shampoo containing an insecticide. More and more resistant insects have been found in recent years however, and parents are turning to special heat treatments to eradicate these "Super Lice".Post-shampoo combing is also key, so be sure to get a steel lice comb (the plastic ones are useless -- don't even bother). Prevention: Watch out for group selfies! Scalp to scalp contact is a sure fire way to aid and abet these itch-causing pests.
Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease(02 of04)
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Known for causing painful blisters on the inside of the mouth, the bumpy, red rash can also affect hands, the bottom of feet, and genitals. How it gets around: The gross factor here is that the virus lives in the intestines and is spread through unwashed hands and surfaces contaminated with feces. Symptoms: Small, fluid-filled blisters are usually the first sign of HFMD but can be hard to detect if only in the child's mouth. Other signs include fever and flulike symptoms. The RX: There is no treatment for HMFD outside of managing the symptoms with children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The child is considered contagious and should stay home from school as long as a fever and open blisters persist. Prevention: Encourage your child -- and the whole family -- to wash their hands often. Note to parents: The virus can live in your child's stool for up to two weeks after the blisters have subsided, so be vigilant about washing your own hands after changing diapers or helping older children in the bathroom. HFMD in adults, although more rare, is decidedly more painful!
Pinworms(03 of04)
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This one's not for the faint of heart! Pinworms are parasites that hatch in the human intestines after eggs have been ingested by the host. Once hatched, the females then travel out through the child's anus where they deposit new eggs (cringe). How it gets around: Upping the ick factor here is that pinworms are spread when your child scratches their itchy bum, trapping the eggs under their fingernails for easy transfer onto surrounding surfaces. Doubly gross is the fact that the eggs can survive for up to two weeks outside of a host! Children can catch pinworms simply by putting their fingers in their mouths after touching an affected surface. Tellingly, the pests are most prevalent in school-age children between five and 10 years old. Symptoms: Your child may have a stomach ache and/or an itchy bottom. The worms can also be visible on your child's anus at night when the females are most active. The RX: Doctors can prescribe an anti-worm medication and there are over-the-counter treatments as well. Prevention: Children should wash their hands often throughout the day and avoid putting their hands in their mouths.
Impetigo(04 of04)
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This bacterial skin infection causes blistering and sores and occurs most commonly on the face, neck and hands of children two to six years of age. It's gross because the blisters can be hard to look at, depending on the severity of the infection. How it gets around: Impetigo is highly contagious and spreads through skin to skincontact or by simply touching something that someone with impetigo has also touched. Symptoms: There are two types of impetigo: 1. Non-bullous, which starts out as tiny blisters that burst, leaving "weeping" patches of skin that eventually crust over;2. And bullous impetigo, characterized by larger, fluid-filled blisters that turn cloudy and stick around longer than those associated with the non-bullous form. The RX: Treatment depends on the type and severity of the rash. An over-the-counter antibiotic cream can work well on some non-bullous cases whereas oral antibiotics may be required for more serious cases or bullous impetigo. Prevention: As with most communicable diseases, hand washing goes a long way in prevention. Because the bacteria that cause impetigo can also enter the body through existing scrapes, cuts, or burns, it is important to keep these injuries covered and clean, particularly in the classroom setting.