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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 20536
[Civil]
Date Posted:
4/14/2009
1:04:33 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 4,580
RSS: 20,548
Comments: 7
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Texas District To Let Native American Student Keep Long Hair
Author: The Associated Press Source: First Amendment Center Online
Title: TEXAS DISTRICT TO LET NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT KEEP LONG HAIR
A Native American Somerset High School senior — whose parents filed a federal lawsuit saying his right of religious expression was violated when he received an on-campus suspension — can return to class without having to cut his shoulder-length hair.
Jesus Figueroa’s long hair had been an issue since last school year, landing him in on-campus suspension a few times. After a battle that included the federal lawsuit, the Somerset Independent School District’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously yesterday night to grant the 17-year-old special dispensation from the district’s grooming policy. The policy bans males’ hair from touching the collar.
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Community Thoughts: There are 7 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Did Some Looking Into It.... | Apr 17th. at 1:41:02 am EDT
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nasionnaich (Stanchfield, Minnesota) - Email Me
I decided to do a search for the original article (s) on this, and found out:
It is a Public School. The student first said that his long hair was for Cultural/Heritage reasons. He later had to admit that the hair was for RELIGIOUS reasons -- the reason he didn't say this to start with is that he really didn't want to make it a "religious issue", he thought the cultural/heritage reason would be enough. The School Board, after the courts sent it back to them, took a vote and decided that he can keep his long hair under a "special dispensation".
The reason the school district has that stupid dress code banning long hair on boys is because -- they don't want such things to distract the students fro their classroom studies or otherwise disrupt classrooms etc.
When i was in high school, some of the boys had hair that was longer than the girls' hair -- and both boys and girls would sometimes dye their hair and wear it in some rather "wild" fashions...some of those "doos" were really wild for the times...yet hair length/hair styles were never a real distraction in the classroom. So much for that "it is to limit distractions" excuse.
This should never have become a religious rights issue at all, but that's exactly what it had to be so that Jesus Figueroa could be allowed to proudly display a part of his Cultural Heritage in a Public School in a town near the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas.
--nasionnaich
[Web LINK]
Find More info -- HERE
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| Why Was This Even An Issue? | Apr 16th. at 11:07:28 am EDT
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Liz (Lawrenceville, Georgia) - Email Me
If it was a public school, the only thing I could think of to prompt someone getting in trouble for long hair is if someone else complained that it distracted them from learning. That "grooming policy" is complete crap. I'd like to see what would have happened if when my boyfriend was in high school they told him to cut his hair (he's part Cherokee) . I agree 100% with the person who said they should make girls keep their hair above their collar too if they're going to tell guys to.
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| Yes, GOOD!!! | Apr 16th. at 2:53:59 am EDT
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nasionnaich (Stanchfield, Minnesota) - Email Me
I agree, whole-heartedly, that the student should never have had to take his long hair to court. His long hair would likely not have been an issue if he were an Orthodox Jew, or a follower of some other Judeo-Christian religion. All I can think of at this time is that this particular school district in Texas is still trying to use the same tactics to "control" Indians has was once Officially sanctioned by the U.S. Government: The removal of Cultural Identity.
It wasn't -- and isn't -- about just clothing and hair, it's also about Religion
I am also wondering whether the school is a private or public school, since there is no actual news article to read.
The link seems to be broken, and it leads me to a long list of cases from 2006-2007......... The one link on the website that is supposed to be for the story also leads to the page with the list of cases from 2006-2007.
Anybody have a link that actually works, that actually leads to the news article?
--nasionnaich
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| GOOD!! | Apr 15th. at 4:31:29 am EDT
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Whitewolf (Schenectady, New York) - Email Me
I myself would have told 'em to KMA. As. one other said, MY long blonde hair is an extension of MYSELF, and if they don't like it, too bad. And since I have a large dose of Native American in me, it makes it all the more of an issue. Long hair on a Native man is beautiful!!
Love to all
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| ****** | Apr 14th. at 9:17:48 pm EDT
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
Unless this is a military school, his hair should be his own business, unless he hasn't washed it in years. If he has to cut his shoulder length hair, then all the girls should also get a burr cut if they are also sporting hair past their shoulders. The fact that they considered making him cut it at all was because of possible discrimination. Not because his hair was a real problem.
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| Hmmm | Apr 14th. at 6:43:55 pm EDT
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Silver Faery (Hays, Kansas) - Email Me
If this was a public school, then the school should have no say in how long a persons hair should be. If it was a private school, then the parents were probably informed of the school policy. I know a lot of public schools that don't care for guys having long hair, but they really can't nor should they do anything about it.
Silver Faery
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| Was This A Military School? | Apr 14th. at 2:39:46 pm EDT
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LD Wolverine (Edmonton, Alberta) - Email Me
Because if not, then how can they set policies over human growth? My hair is an extention of my body. If my fingers grow too long, well they cant make me shorten them. I understand there are no pain receptors in your hair and that it is basically dead tissue, but still.
Manditory haircuts are for institutions like the Military, Cadets, Law Enforcement...not High School.
Its so rediculous I dont even know what to say. I went to a Roman Catholic High School and not even they were so ridgid.
And as for the kid changing his story, he probubly did not want to cite religious reasons in the beginning. If you can get it under the guise of self expression and save the hassle of having your religion dragged into it, why not? He's 17 and in High School. Kids are fundamentally cruel. He was most likely trying to do it in the way that it harmed him least in the eyes of his peers, by not giving them the ammo for teasing and bullying. I dont think he changed his story just because...I believe it was a last resort.
I'm glad he got his wish. Here in Canada, in the military, if you have native heritage then you grow your hair. Why should High School be more strict then the Army??
Such Sillyness. But then again, this happnened in the southern states right?
Peace.
Linda
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