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In reply to the discussion: This 4-Year-Old Boy Isnt Allowed At School Because Of His Long Hair [View all]DFW
(54,428 posts)I was one of them, and I was pressured endlessly to shave it off. The other guy was a staunch Republican, and they didn't say a word to him. I don't know if his parents were prominent or not. Since I have extremely sensitive facial skin, if I shave my beard off, I turn red like a boiled lobster, so I refused. They let me graduate anyway, but not without a lot of grief.
A a minor revenge, this school, which counts at least two US presidents among its alumni, got stuck with a prank they will never be able to erase. My brother, a junior at a rival school across the state line, was at my graduation, and was with me when we were herded together for the official class photo. He tried to get away, but was pushed into the center with me. I was a nobody, and so none of the school's top administration gave it a second thought when they didn't recognize the guy next to me. So, our official class photo is the only one to contain a ringer from the rival school. The administration was so uncaring about their non-elite students, they never even noticed until someone informed them months later. By then it was too late. These people were so narrow-minded, it really upset them for a long time afterward! Luckily, I was only at this school for that one year, and as you might have guessed, both of the presidents who graduated from there were Republicans. Now, they come begging for alumni contributions, and swear the school has become much more progressive. I always tell them, then get your contributions from alumni who were NOT harassed during the time they were there, and consider that even nerds you thought were nobodies might someday go on to be successful.
I admire this mother's courage, although her boy will be the object of unmerciful bullying if he keeps his hair this way, unless this is one incredibly enlightened school--which seems to be anything BUT the case.