Boy's braids may keep him out of kindergarten

Posted Jul 22nd 2008 5:00PM by Bethany Sanders
Filed under: Kids 5-7, In the news, Education, Religion & spirituality

He's simply a boy anxious to start kindergarten, but even at age five, Adriel Arocha is learning that, sometimes, things just aren't that simple. Adriel's dad is Apache and believes that Adriel's hair should remain uncut for traditional reasons. Adriel himself says that he needs his long braids because,"they tell me how long I've been here."

But when the family made plans to move to Needville, Texas and enroll their child in kindergarten, they didn't exactly receive a warm welcome. Adriel's mom emailed the school to inquire about enrollment and to mention his long hair, which, she explained, was always neatly kept in two long braids. The school emailed back that their dress code did not allow boys' hair to touch their collars. After a flurry of emails, phone calls, and meetings, the district decided that they were unwilling to budge on their rules for Adriel and his family.The Arocha's are arguing that the Needville dress code infringes on their civil rights, while the Needville superintendent says he's not been provided the evidence to prove that any rights have been violated. At the crux of this issue is the fact that many Native American traditions are handed down through oral teachings, which the Needville district claims is not "proof" enough for them to change their rules for Adreil. The Arocha's plan to push ahead with a trial.

Is hair really that big of an issue in school? Girls are allowed to have long hair, so it's not a safety issue. Unless a haircut is disrupting learning, I don't see how it impact's a child's education one way or the other. Needville's superintendent went so far as to suggest Adriel get his own classroom, with his own teacher, lest he inoculate the other students, I suppose, with his free-thinking ways. I think I'd be more worried about the budgetary implications of a compromise like that than a five-year-old's hairstyle.

Is the Needville school district being too hard-headed and making too big a deal out of Adriel's braids? Or do you think that the Arocha's need to follow the rules in their new home?

(via LilSugar)

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. I think the Needville school system is being completely ridiculous! Let the boy go to school and be a kid. How is a child having long hair going to bother or upset anyone? Adriel is eager and excited to start school, he shouldn't have to be going through something like this all because of traditions of his culture. Has the school system thought about to stress it could be causing Adriel? Have they thought how it could possibly affect his entire education, he may end up never wanting to go to school. This is unbelievable.

Posted at 6:18PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by CandyB

2. Life is full of rules, and some don't seem to make any sense. But, now this child is in the middle of a contest with the school district and his parents' freedom of their civil rights. That's just awful. If the parents actually have something concrete to show that their request is part of a cultural tradition, then fine. But, just because Dad wants his son to have long hair, is not a reason for the child to not follow the rules. I think, Candy, you've over-exaggerated things a bit. This will be a lesson learned. And, Mom and Dad need to think about what they are teaching their son, if, in fact, this is really a personal choice of the parents.

Posted at 1:34PM on Jul 23rd 2008 by Donna

3. I agree. However, as an educator for over 28 years, I must say that this sounds like a VERY closed minded community. I wouldn't want Adriel or any other child to go to such a school. He will lose his enthusiasm, his focus, his sparkle, and his individuality. I wouldn't put my child there. I'd find somewhere where he will be accepted and allowed to flourish.

Posted at 1:36AM on Jul 23rd 2008 by Lee

4. Lee, you hit the nail on the head! The focus should NOT be on this boy's hair but on the enthusiam he has for school and the new possibilities for him. If all this keeps up then he will lose that spark as you said, and instead of having a kid that is eager and wanting to learn, you will end up with a drop out. A teacher and a school have SOOO much more influence on how kids look at education, and to squash a kid excited about learning over something so menial as hair length (when it is part of his culture) is ridiculous to me. I agree with some extremes of dress codes....violent or sexual associated things....but long hair infringes on NO ONE but that kid.

Posted at 2:46PM on Jul 27th 2008 by flamingrose40

5. In cases of scraggly, messy hair, I understand why schools have this code in place. However, in cases like this, they should allow it.

Posted at 6:28PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by bayoubarbie

6. Rules are rules. Child should not be aware of the problem.

Posted at 6:36PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by MaryLouise

7. You certainly are closed minded. This is a tradition for native americans. And you sound like a G.W.Bush cloned conserayive that isn't very tolerant or intelligent. Get sa life.. and try to be more tolerant of other peoples lifestyles and the right to observe them

Posted at 6:54AM on Jul 23rd 2008 by Bill

8. rules is rules what a way to walk the fence line. the family is american indian we have the right to keep our culture alive. this is so bogus back in the day my grandfather was forced to cut his hair dress the way the whites wanted him too.talk english not chickasaw. i see the same thing here mexicans arent wanted to talk spanish in america, arabs arent wanted to talk arabic,just let us be we are just as american as you the boy has long hair until everyone is made to wear there hair short in america. this is their right as parents as humans as americans i say let him go to school learning is the most important thing that matters not that he has braids.

Posted at 9:46AM on Jul 23rd 2008 by michellerfoxall

9. Would they disallow a Jewish boy to wear his yamuka or a Muslim girl a headscarf?

Would they they have to prove it's a part of their heritage?

At a time when American's are being accused of racial/religious intolerance, shouldn't our schools lead the way to show we live by our Constitutional based hearts & laws!

Posted at 6:41PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by Ellen

10. I totally agree with you!

Posted at 4:29PM on Jul 27th 2008 by Bonnie

11. I think he should be allowed to keep his braids. Maybe he could tuck them down under his shirt if this school system insists.
We, at one time, did have "proof" of many of our Native American customs, albeit in the form of drawings on rawhide and bark instead of in the form of words on paper. Most were destroyed or lost when the Europeans came over and decided they had more of a right to our land than we did.
I'll stop now, as this is a very touchy topic for me and my family.

Posted at 7:14PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by ame s

12. You are so right. This is a touchy subject for me, too.

Posted at 4:31PM on Jul 27th 2008 by Bonnie

13. Football [soccer] player David Beckham's middle son, Romeo Beckham had to chop his locks to above sholder length before he was allowed to attend school in Spain.

In Romeo's case all children in the school [including girls] had to have hair either shoulder length or shorter.

In the case of this little boy, just let him go to school! His hair is not going to get in the way of his learning. Adriel clearly loves the idea of school but loves his locks - how distressing is it going to be when mummy tells him "either cut your hair or don't go to school". Some rules are pathetic really and should be bent in cases like this.

Posted at 7:34PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by xxLostGirl92xx

14. Unbelievable! Has this school system looked at a calendar???
It's 2008, not 1958!
I can totally empathize with these parents!
When my (now 19 year old) daughter was in 3rd grade (making her about 9 years old) came home crying. Later that afternoon, her teacher actually called me to tell me that her hair, (which was braided with beads) was "too loud" and told me that we would have to take them out or "tie her hair up".
I notified the principal and he explained to the teacher that she could not tell us to take the beads out.

Posted at 7:47PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by pantz1234

15. First of all-isnt that discrimination? If a girl can wear her hair long then why cant a boy? That is definitely discrimination. Secondly, this nazi school system is more worried about their ego than they are about the psychological damage they have already caused this child. Why do school systems care more about their anal rules than they do about the students they are supposed to teach? What are they teaching them? To be control freaks to the point of hurting innocent people--for absolutely no good reason. The boy should keep his hair as he wishes-If my school system had that rule I'd say--hello cyber school and you know where to put those rules!!!

Posted at 8:26PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by Kristina Vendetti

16. All of our school have different sets of rules for boys and girls and frankly I do not agree that it is a violation, it will cause a disruption, picture this 20, 5 year oldsall sitting down writing their alphabet and in walks the boy with girls hair. They would ALL sit up and take notice. It isn't fair, but no one ever said it was. My son had to re-dye his hair brown after I dyed it reddish blond because it was a distraction,yet girls can dye their hair any color they wish

Posted at 9:36PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by Karen

17. Its Texas, what the hell do you expect? There are more morons per square mile in Texas than anywhere else on Earth.

Posted at 8:32PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by John Palazzini

18. Well, John, I've now been living in Texas for 2 years, and while I"ve come across my fair share of morons, there are also intelligent, sensible people if you know where to look!

I am all in favor of school uniforms. At the same time, I am for equality when it comes to dress codes and rules, and I doubt they would force a girl entering kindergarten to cut her hair instead of wear it in neat braids. This is one of my problems with the public schools. Either force all girls to keep their hair short (which is NOT going to happen, and as someone with waist-lenght hair I wouldn't support), or allow boys to keep their hair long.

I wondered, too, when I was younger why the boys were not allowed to have facial hair at my school, but they never forced the few girls who had facial hair to shave their moustaches. Why the double standards?

Posted at 9:01PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by Judy

19. as a hairstylist i have a simple solution PUT THE BOYS HAIR IN A BUN!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 8:44PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by kissatee

20. EXACTLY kissalee!!! The school systems rules state that the boys hair cannot touch his collar. Why not braid the hair like they do now and then put the braids in buns so it doesn't touch his collar?

Posted at 11:45PM on Jul 22nd 2008 by Lori

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