School nixes teen quest to grow wig hair

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
School nixes teen quest to grow wig hair
4
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 11:19am

This high school missed out on teaching a very important lesson about community involvement and making a difference...too bad for their students and their community.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Hair%20Tangle


Thursday, September 16, 2004 · Last updated 5:58 a.m. PT


School nixes teen quest to grow wig hair


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


HARLINGEN, Texas -- A South Texas school board denied a student's request to grow long hair for a group that makes wigs for sick children, instead offering him the post of American Cancer Society liaison along with a $500 donation to the group in his name.


The $500 came from an anonymous donor in the amount that the hair would be worth.


Gerardo Garcia, Jr., 16, said he hoped to grow his hair at least 10 inches for donation to Florida-based Locks of Love. The nonprofit organization uses donated ponytails to create custom-fitted hairpieces of children suffering from medical hair loss. They provided Harlingen South High School a letter verifying that Garcia had applied to be a donor.


He said he was motivated by a family history of cancer - his great-grandmother died from lymphoma, his grandmother had breast cancer and his 11-year-old brother had a lymph node removed last year and may have to undergo a biopsy.


But Harlingen school officials said they could not compromise their dress code, which forbids boys from having hair that covers their eyes or hangs below their shoulders. (me:  Oh please!  This is for a very worthy cause.  It could have been used to promote other community-involvement activities.  This is just so shortsighted.)


Garcia said the policy amounted to sexual discrimination because girls can grow their hair as long as the like. The board was not swayed.


"Although we commend Gerry's efforts and his cause, we must deny his appeal," school board member Verna Young said Tuesday.


Superintendent Linda Wade said representatives from the American Cancer Society told her they would accept Garcia as their Harlingen High School South liaison.


Garcia told the Valley Morning Star in Tuesday's editions that it wasn't about money.


"They just can't see that I want to make a difference," he said. "There are already plenty of organizations that give money.


---


On the Net:


Locks of Love, http://www.locksoflove.org/

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Avatar for baileyhouse
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 12:04pm
I'm starting to think schools are only going after the fights they can "win". To bad they don't go after something substantial like poor test scores or child abuse in the home. I'm sure this school has worse problems than hair length.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 12:36pm
Seems like a sad commentary, doesn't it?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 1:31pm

That's a sad commentary.


"Garcia said the policy amounted to sexual discrimination because girls can grow their hair as long as the like."


I agree.

cl-Libraone~

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 4:30pm

Another good point...although the school board didn't see it that way.