PartTimeWarrior
Banned
He was informed what the rules are and didn't follow them. What did he think was going to happen?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Valedictorian barred from his graduation due to having facial hair in Louisiana
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
- Status
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
Why do many in here assume that there's a racially motivated reason behind his barring?
Subpar Scrub
Banned
This is the only argument that's really valid in this thread, imo.
Because it's easier for some people here to say "oh I bet it's racism" than to think for more than 10 seconds. If you've noticed, most of the people assuming that didn't come back to defend their throwaway comments.
If I didn't spend a lot of my life in the south and was just told the story second hand on the street, I could honestly see where the gut reaction would come from to think race may be a factor here.
Problem is we have the full article available to us and the entirety of the internet at our disposal to do further research. The only excuse for the sort of drive-by posts we have in here are from sheer laziness.
Very few people haven't thought it was ridiculous.
Kitsunebaby
Member
If a public school had a dress-code dictating that legs and underarms must be shaved clean, or that your hair may only be kept at a certain length and style, we'd all think it was fucking ridiculous. Why is a dress-code dictating how you wear your facial hair any less ridiculous? Even more-so when you consider the amount of skin irritation some people experience from shaving.
Subpar Scrub
Banned
Legs and underarms would be odd, but a hair standard wouldn't be ridiculous at all. If a school said "hey mate, don't wear a green Mohawk", I'd totally understand that.
If you get irritated from shaving, buy a decent razor. I buy 5 bladed razors and don't even have to use anything but warm water. Go slow, shave correctly and you'll get no or little irritation.
Song of the Turtle
Member
That's a pretty pointless rule for a public school. But it sounds like he knew what could happen and decided that his pride was more important.
I can't really understand his decision though. Just bear your school's rules for one more day, your beard will grow back anyway...
I can't really understand his decision though. Just bear your school's rules for one more day, your beard will grow back anyway...
witchedwiz
Member
this over and over
Yeah. If they let him get away with it for the entire year then he should be grateful this wasn't something he had to fight and possibly end up with a suspension.
He should've shaved. That shit will grow back in a few days, or weeks. He was on the very last day and that's when he chooses to make a stand? For a place he won't ever go back for? C'mon.
BudokaiMR2
Member
I don't really understand this notion at all. Are you telling me that you can't understand why they would be stricter about dress codes and such on what is literally the biggest photo op of the year for the school?
Seems like pretty simple logic to follow.
Kitsunebaby
Member
If you're getting so heated defending a rule you even agree to be ridiculous, then it just seems like you have some weird thing for authority. Several people are arguing that the rule shouldn't exist as it's not logical, and your response seems to just be "rules are rules". Most of us like rules to actually serve some function.
Why would you understand a rule against green mohawks? What possible harm could come from a student wearing a green mohawk?
And for the bolded part, that just ain't true for some dudes. It's been mentioned in this thread already.
Where have I defended the rule on its merits? In fact numerous times I have reiterated it's stupid. However there is a belief amongst some that such rules have merit. I disagree but elected officials that represent districts in Louisiana dont and so the policies remain.
I have done plenty of pushing back against absurd or outlandish statements and arguments for sure. No denying there
The rule is silly IMO. However, it is the rule. That can't be hand waved away. Discussed and debated sure. It has nothing to do with an authority fetish though, it has to do with agreeing that non public forums like schools require a level of structure and consistency to maintain proper effectiveness. That if we are going to delegate authority to districts or parishes through a democratic process by which such elected representatives determine rules governing things like dress codes, allowing students to disobey them without consequence when they feel like it compromises the integrity and stability of the public school system.
If a clear injustice can be established like a racist policy, a targeted discrimination or a disparity in the enforcement of policy, then certainly protests and a refusal to participate would be fairly justified. Even encouraged in all likelihood. I'm not some tool that would sit there and say that a policy of separate water fountains for black people should be abided by without question or protest.
Lightning Count
Member
They will never admit it, but let's be honest this all comes down to racism. If the kid had been white this wouldn't have happened.
Yay for the glorious land of the free. Truly the greatest nation on Earth.
Yay for the glorious land of the free. Truly the greatest nation on Earth.
/s
I'd just find it more consistent, especially with the dresscode mentioning learning environment, while there's obviously no learning at the ceremony
Do you know if unshaved white students were allowed to attend?
crazepharmacist
Member
Five posts in and already pulling the race card.
Claude Augario
Member
Fucking dumbass policy, especially when it's only enforced for graduation. School is over and done with - why start this petty shit here? You should trying to get those kids as far away from high school as possible.
Also exposes the "rules are rules" tools. Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks shat on your rules when they sat wherever they felt like on the bus. Calling it a rule doesn't make it right or infallible. Dumbass "rules" should always be challenged, especially with America's history.
Also exposes the "rules are rules" tools. Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks shat on your rules when they sat wherever they felt like on the bus. Calling it a rule doesn't make it right or infallible. Dumbass "rules" should always be challenged, especially with America's history.
I did read the OP, as it mentions the school board has a policy about facial hair. I assumed the policy was referring to the graduation ceremony because the kid and his classmates had the facial hair all year without the policy being enforced. Sure the kid was warned, but the policy is silly.
But schools do dictate how long/what style your hair can be.
In my school boys couldn't have hair go past the middle of their ear. No "crazy" colors either.
And this isn't exclusive to schools. Do you think there's no harm in your doctor walking in with a purple Mohawk? I know you said earlier what's the harm, but come on, you know people with professional jobs are expected to present themselves certain ways. You can throw your hands up and say it's dumb, but I don't see society changing anytime soon, and rightfully so.
(I've never heard of an armpit/leg shaving rule)
That's just bizarre to me. In here students don't have any clothing or hair rules, and even the idea is strange. And somehow we're always ranked among the best school systems in the world. It's as if the teachers here were actually more interested in teaching than in blind obedience to conformity.
Trigonometrize.
Member
I can't take OT seriously sometimes when people are this trigger happy to make any given thread about their favorite social issue.
According to this, 83% of the high school is black. So one can naturally assume that the vast majority of valedictorians were of African American descent.
But nah they're probably racist.
Neat but do you acknowledge many professional jobs have dress/grooming codes?
Are hospitals and law firms more concerned with conformity?
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
"I don't have any problems so no one else should 'if they do it right!'"
Skellig Gra
Member
Sounds like the old Red Ring of Death deniers.
this is bs either way. giving kids razors before they walk? what type of fuckery is that.
let them have their last day.
also my first thought was why didn't he just shave it all off and then put on a fake beard/mustache during his speech. I doubt they will search him hardcore under his robe.
letting the the best student sit in the stands is awk
let them have their last day.
also my first thought was why didn't he just shave it all off and then put on a fake beard/mustache during his speech. I doubt they will search him hardcore under his robe.
letting the the best student sit in the stands is awk
Lol. As soon as I saw the picture I knew GAF would turn this into a racial issue. What a sad forum.
PandaShake
Member
Looks like a simple issue of being petty. He received fair warning and it's school policy so just shave. The moment of graduation is not the time to debate school policy. Maybe give an argument against the policy weeks before graduation for approval. Having grown up and went to school here in LA, my classmates were given razors to shave if they showed up with facial hair.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
He'll look back at this and notice how petty he was.
Life is about following rules, that doesn't change at graduation. Should have shaved it, walked, and been done.
Life is about following rules, that doesn't change at graduation. Should have shaved it, walked, and been done.
but what about meeeee?
(I mean, the super is basically the hard ass that came from outside and said "oh by the way, we have rules, see you at graduation..."
later..
"didn't I tell you boys we had rules?" I suspect that if he wasn't there interjecting order, the young man would have walked.)
I am just talking of schools, which is what this thread is also about. Why would I need to acknowledge anything? In high school I saw punks, metalheads, piercing enthusiasts and what not, and none of them actually detracted from any learning environment, because it's absolutely inconsequential. Google Finnish school system results if you believe this dress code nonsense is somehow essential to learning.
But why not? Hospital dress codes are quite practical for merely hygienic reasons anyway, while law firms are actually only concerned about image and conformity. There's no practical or technical reason why someone with a 2 foot high purple mohawk and Mad Max dresscode wouldn't be able to draft some law papers, it's just custom, conformity, and perception.
Ray Wonder
Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
I don't understand the issue here. If the policy was that you couldn't wear sneakers, and you did, you shouldn't walk. Especially if presented with a pair of shoes that you are able to wear right before the ceremony.
The only thing I notice here is how biased some users are on this forum.
The only thing I notice here is how biased some users are on this forum.
While his facial hair could be grown back rather quickly, what happens to the guy who has spent a long time growing and maintaining a large thick beard? Start over from scratch I guess? Drastically alter your normal daily appearance for a single 2 hour event? That's not reasonable if they let the students attend school normally and only enforce the rule on graduation day.
Louisiana graduate here. My school, which is private, had some pretty dumb rules which they have eased up on since I graduated such as hair and the kind of jackets you can wear. In regards to the latter it had to be a specific jacket. Didn't matter if it was school colors with the name of the school on it. Couldn't wear it. That didn't stop us obviously and they never properly enforced it especially after we questioned and they realized how stupid it was but it was still a rule that was written.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Facial hair is a part of yourself. These aren't sneakers. Some people grow facial hair extremely fast. If anything having an itchy face would impede learning far more than anything. There is nothing unprofessional in the professional world about a well kept beard. It's distinguished. These are 18 year olds that are being sent off as adults.
Some of these posts. SMH
Advanced notice of a racist policy doesn't make the policy less racist.
Rules don't exist in a vacuum. "Rules are rules" is a stupid, conformist attitude. Prove you need the rule, or fuck off.
I mean, I can think of a few legitimate reasons there would be a "no beards" rule, but when no such reason is given upon request, and it's so poorly enforced, and the prior exceptions are all white, there's no way to give the administrators the benefit of the doubt.
Advanced notice of a racist policy doesn't make the policy less racist.
Rules don't exist in a vacuum. "Rules are rules" is a stupid, conformist attitude. Prove you need the rule, or fuck off.
I mean, I can think of a few legitimate reasons there would be a "no beards" rule, but when no such reason is given upon request, and it's so poorly enforced, and the prior exceptions are all white, there's no way to give the administrators the benefit of the doubt.
Mr. Giggles
Member
I was expecting like a huge beard or something....
That? That is why he couldn't attend?
That's like a tiny goatee, its well groomed too....
Land of the free indeed
That? That is why he couldn't attend?
That's like a tiny goatee, its well groomed too....
Land of the free indeed
Where did you hear that? I don't see it mentioned in the article
And that it wasn't enforced until the ceremony is inconsistent of them, but I don't she why it's racist. Unless you believe having a beard is exclusive to black graduates
No agenda here...
AcademicSaucer
Member
This is amazing.
deltatheta
Member
The policy is kind of unfair because people of African ethnicity tend to have thick, wiry hair that gets ingrown easily, which makes shaving difficult. A no beards rule imposes much more of a burden on the black students than it does to other students.
Yeah, let's be honest: no it doesn't.
Schools have weirdo rules sometimes for their graduations. Holy crap what?! That's only been happening forever. No facial hair may be a weird request, but it's not an unreasonable one. He decided to protest something there was no point protesting, and faced the consequences. Can't feel bad for him at all.
Red-haired men have far thicker hair than any other white person out there. Is it anti-ginger as well?
And God, people are making it sound like shaving is some gigantic health issue here, when it isn't.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Hah. The losers in my school administration tried to get me to shave for years.
Never worked. Fight the stupid.
Never worked. Fight the stupid.
deltatheta
Member
Well, in general it's not thicker/more wiry than African hair tends to be. So, sure, it's anti ginger to a lesser extent.
I didn't say it was a "gigantic health issue". I said it was unfair and more of a burden.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
A lot of us think that the pot laws are ridiculous too. Doesn't mean you can smoke out anywhere you feel like without some consequences. People aren't defending the rule as much as they are criticizing his choice to break it.
How is this a racist policy? My school had the same rule and it was whiter than a pound of mayo between two Taylor Swift CDs. The school in the OP, and city, is majority black. It's not like the school was looking for a gotcha loophole. Since the school is 83% black, I wouldn't be surprised if every valedictorian in the past twenty years at that school was black.
- Status