In every setback there is opportunity. The idea of having a party tied to a regimentation center could be a gone forever if students/inmates join together to host a private prom–free from their conservative neighbors who use the regimentation center to squash any type of unique behavior, including unconventional romantic interests.

A private prom would welcome individuality, not conformity. All would be welcome: individuals with any sexual interest, those who prefer casual clothes, students of any age. All these individuals could join together for one night to celebrate life, friendship, love, and the pending liberation of the oldest in attendance from the regimentation center.

See related article on Huffington Post.

Related Articles

• Suspended for Facebook page, student can sue
• Court approves uniform protest with “Hitler Youth” buttons
• Youth rights group sues to repeal Florida curfew
• Not sure if private schools are worse.
• Supreme Court to review strip search of student

The parents specifically filed a federal lawsuit stating the district stifled their children’s First Amendment free speech rights. According to Fox News, the parents also sued to repeal the uniform policy.

One of the students had worn a button for more than six weeks before the school protested. The school claimed the buttons promoted Nazi ideology and do not, if you can believe this, constitute free speech. While the lawsuit moved forward, the students did not wear buttons to avoid jeopardizing their education.

“The school cannot prohibit student free speech even where some may find the speech offensive,” said Ed Barocas, legal director of the ACLU’s New Jersey chapter. “The school must show that the free speech is actually going to be disruptive, in order to censor it.”

The parents issued a written statement:

“I’ve gotten overwhelming support from MANY people that tell me that they absolutely agree with what the image depicted, an ominously homogenous group of blindly cooperative children,” the statement said.

“That image showed no swastikas, no weapons, and Hitler himself wasn’t depicted,” she wrote. “The picture makes a profound statement about what can happen when we turn children into ‘uniform’ followers. Our intent was not to offend but to make a bold statement about what we, as an American family believe is an erosion of a simple right, to be individuals, not blind followers. The very basic rights, to wear clothing we choose, and to peacefully protest what we know was the undemocratic stripping of those rights from us as parent and student.”

Wow!

More info:

• First Amendment Center
• NY Times Article (with photo of student wearing button!)
• Hey Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
• Find Michael DePinto on Facebook.

Related Articles

• Gov school bans skinny jeans, home school doesn’t
• Prom cancelled to avoid lesbian couple
• Suspended for Facebook page, student can sue
• Youth rights group sues to repeal Florida curfew
• Supreme Court to review strip search of student

The school admins claim skinny jeans violate their modesty requirements. They might have a point. Some clothes are not appropriate for all circumstances, and choosing which clothes are appropriate is a subjective decision. The school likely doesn’t allow males to show their briefs, a style favored by some, and students likely leave government schools for this reason.

However, students and their parents also have the right to decide if they think skinny jeans or any other dress style distracts from studying. And they have the right to leave a school that bans styles they deem acceptable, as Seth and his Mom decided.

The dress code could have been the last straw. The school may be conservative with all policies: music, arts, essays, group projects. Do they welcome creativity and new ideas or suppress them?

Seth has an exciting road ahead of him. Not only can he wear any dress style, he will have much more control over what he studies. Clearly Seth thinks for himself and now he can think for himself while learning. And when Seth meets his friends after the government school day ends, he’ll be wearing skinny jeans, while his friends, unless they changed their clothes, will be wearing more conservative attire.

» Read a related article.

» Seth’s facebook page?

» Search Google for more stories about Seth.

Related Articles

• Court approves uniform protest with “Hitler Youth” buttons
• School’s ban on cross necklaces is Christian-bashing
• Dress code enforcement goes too far
• Student in skirt challenges dress code
• Florida High School students opt-out of uniform policy

Government admins disagreed. They demanded the Sadie Pendleton remove the hair dye. Well, that wasn’t so easy since the dye was semi-permanent, meaning it would take about two months to wash out. Her parents insisted she be allowed to remain in the school, and the admins backed down but still forbid Sadie from adding more dye to her hair.

Update 1 from Sadie’s father:

“After the purple faded, we proceeded to dye red streaks. The school has said NOTHING regarding the red!”

Update 2 from Sadie’s father:

Thanks again! We have another student that tried to dye her hair a natural color but it turned out green. Same school!

She was told by the school that she cannot return until it was back to normal. Her father went to the school to fight it and they are letting her come back as long as it’s fading!

The good news is that more are standing up for the right to freely express! Soon more will do the same and we will prevail!

Your support is awesome!

The girl and her parents parents plan to continue the fight. They want to remove this restriction on free expression. Learn more.

Her parents are right — this issue is more about free expression, than some hair dye. The gov’t admins can’t stand to see someone act like a free individual, a free thinker.

If other students were in fact distracted by someone’s hair style or clothing or car, the admins should speak to those students who may be suffering from envy or boredom or a failure to concentrate. These are the students who need help. Outside of schools, people have purple hair. A person who cannot produce when faced with purple hair will find it difficult to earn a living.

Hopefully, more students will choose to express themselves with their hair.  Wax, dye, close cuts, braids — all of these options can create some individual style.

Related Articles

• Poem by student punished for dyeing her hair
• Kent McNew sues for right to dye hair