EDUC Teacher doesn't like boy's haircut, forces him to front of class and cuts it

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/185660

Roanoke County school board on sharp end of student's haircut suit
The suit claims emotional distress, saying a Roanoke County teacher gave a student a haircut in class.

Sometimes a haircut is more than a haircut.

Sometimes, according to attorney Harvey Lutins, it's a cherished statement of identity that ought to be protected by the courts.

Lutins has filed a lawsuit against the Roanoke County School Board on behalf of 11-year-old Alexander Allen Brown and his mother, Dominique Brown, saying the boy's teacher forcibly cut his hair in front of his class.

Alexander, a student at Hidden Valley Middle School, started the school year proudly sporting prominent bangs. The bangs were long, Lutins acknowledged, but they did not droop into his eyes.

"I mean, he wasn't a sheepdog," he said. "You know how kids are at 11 years old. There are two things in his life: his hair and the shoes he's got on."

But a teacher took issue with Alexander's hairstyle, the lawsuit said.

On Sept. 24, the boy came home and told his mother that a teacher had pinned him against a locker and "growled" at him about his hair.

At first, Alexander shrugged off the incident. "However, it grew within him and made him enormously self-conscious and was disturbing him emotionally," the lawsuit said.

The next day, the teacher took matters into her own hands, despite the boy's protests, Lutins said. Alexander was made to stand in front of the class, while the teacher "engaged in an impromptu and resisted haircut," trimming the boy's bangs "in such a manner that she utterly and completely butchered his hair and his appearance" and embarrassed him in front of his classmates, according to the lawsuit.

The teacher is not identified in the complaint.

When Alexander, "a shy, quiet and reserved young man," came home, he asked his mother: "Notice anything different, mom?"

Today, he has become depressed and withdrawn, and his grades have suffered, Lutins said.

Roanoke County Superintendent Lorraine Lange said she could not comment on personnel matters.

"We're talking about individual rights," Lutins said. "I don't want my kids touched that way. It's an invasion of privacy. It's an assault. It's a civil assault upon that child."

Lutins is asking for $1,000 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages.

"Quite frankly, if it had happened when I was that age, I'd probably spit in her eye," he said.

The only hairstyles I ever objected to were the pouffy ones or the really tall spikey ones, which made the students taller than I am (which was not a difficult feat to achieve).

If that were my kid, I'd go in that classroom and shave the bitch's head in front of her students.

Be concerned with what's IN the child's head. Anyone who is "distracted" by hair or clothing obviously needs more challenging assignments.

80% of university graduates last less than a month in their first job here in China

The student was probably playing with his hair and paying more attention to it than his studies. As you know I'm in China but I'm stuck with teaching to spoilt rich kids who don't feel the need for study. Well they're learning about what a boss is like. 80% of university graduates last less than a month in their first job here in China. They get a surprise when they get into the real world. Less than 30% of university graduates find a half decent job. 5,000,000 Uni grads in the past two years are still without jobs.

I know one young man from a college where I taught that can't find a job any job that is. You can pick so easy that he thinks life is a party. He is not thinking that way now but. He's a nice young man but useless.

This is an outright physical assault on the child, period. There is no legal defense for the teacher. He or she would best plead guilty, take the punishment and keep low.

NO SANE PARENT wants any teacher wielding scissors against her unwilling, resisting child in an illegal attempt to cut his hair. The child could have had an eye put out or otherwise injured in the scuffle. (AND I HATE LONG HAIR ON BOYS!)

If the school did not make a full apology, pay for a new hair cut to repair the damage, force the teacher to apologize to me and the child (and probably agree to move the child to another class) I'd think about a law suit too and maybe criminal charges. The article doesn't say if any of these things were tried first, but my guess is that many schools are so terrified of admitting to anything that instead of using common sense and putting the blame where it belongs (if the facts are correct as stated) on the teacher, they probably tried to just hope the problem would go away.

When I was 14, I had a teacher who hated me. She kept bringing me up in front of the class as an "example" of "bad" work (thankfully this was a two part class, I got straight A's from the other teacher), yelled at me, didn't like my clothing, my hair etc. But one day she went to far, a rural school district there was a rule that parents had to be informed 24 hours ahead of time if a child was kept after school. This was to make sure a parent could pick them up, many people couldn't just leave work or the farm and drive 20 miles on a moments notice to do this.

I had put a sewing pattern away, but not folded it to her liking and she demanded that I stay after school to refold it a number of times until she liked the results. I went off and told the school consoler what was going on, so someone in authority knew the teacher had done this. She was true to her word and broke school district rules by keeping me that day, instead of the next one. I missed the bus and my mother had to bring a sick baby out against doctor's advice and drive 30 miles round trip to get me with no warning.

The teacher was not only forced to apologize to my mother, she was disciplined by the school district and informed that the team teacher for the course (a required one) would be reviewing my grades and my work. She was also told to "back off or else," I suspect the or else was along the lines of "you may have tenure but you could end up with a desk next to the janitor's office."

In those days, I don't think my mother would have sued, but if I'd had to try and walk 15 miles home (partly on a freeway) and something had happened to me (which was the sort of situation the rule was intended to prevent) then I'm sure she would have considered or at least criminal charges against the school.

Garbing a child and forcing a hair cut may have been acceptable in some boarding schools forty years ago, but it is way over the top now. If there's a school policy issue, there's other forms of discipline like suspension or a trip to the principals office, but the teacher or the principal does not get to hold the kid down and cut their hair. That's a parent's job to either do it themselves of take the kid to a hair dresser/barber of their choice.

Besides, a teacher so out of control as to do something like this, may be a danger in a classroom. How are they going to react if there is a real problem, like a fist fight between students or a child suddenly falling very sick during class? Not someone I would want around children!

fruit loop said:

If that were my kid, I'd go in that classroom and shave the bitch's head in front of her students.

Be concerned with what's IN the child's head. Anyone who is "distracted" by hair or clothing obviously needs more challenging assignments.

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Problem is, you'd get arrested!! But I'd be right there with you!!!! This is truly outrageous.

ainitfunny said:

This is an outright physical assault on the child, period. There is no legal defense for the teacher. He or she would best plead guilty, take the punishment and keep low.

NO SANE PARENT wants any teacher wielding scissors against her unwilling, resisting child in an illegal attempt to cut his hair. The child could have had an eye put out or otherwise injured in the scuffle. (AND I HATE LONG HAIR ON BOYS!)

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The first teacher, coach, whatever that takes anything sharper than marshmallow to my daughter will be extremely unhappy with my reaction. That is, if there is anything left of that person after my MIL is through with them.

I am not defending what the teacher did...it was wrong. However I'm sure that the $50K they seek for a bad haircut will go a long way towards healing the emotional baggage from a lousy haircut. Butcher my hair for $50K, where do I sign up. If I was the kid I'd pocket the money, change schools and wear a hat for a month.

Hfcomms said:

However I'm sure that the $50K they seek for a bad haircut will go a long way towards healing the emotional baggage from a lousy haircut.

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I think the purpose of the $50k is to teach a lesson more than to just enrich the plaintiff. Sort of a "this is why you don't do things like this."

Reminded me of Catholic grade school in 60's, get caught chewing gum and if you did not swallow it quick, but instead obediently surrendered it, it got smooched into your hair but good. The girls really had a hard time with that. Some of those elderly nuns were tough old birds. Some of the younger nuns would flinch right along with us.

Never happened to me, but I got my share of rapped knuckles with a ruler, usually deservedly. Used to always say I was "as bold as brass", not sure to this day what exactly that meant, nun code for a non-conformist I guess, but knew even then it was not a compliment the way they slammed me with it.

What do I think about it all now, well, when my boys were not being homeschooled, I sent them to Catholic school, too. Better than anything the public schools had to offer.

Got God, Grub, Guns & Gold?
Panic Early, Beat the Rush!

- Shane

not for nothing, but if you REALLY wanted to teach the Teacher a lesson, call the police and have her arrested. I see multiple charges that can be alleged here, including aggravated assault, harassment, and unlawful detention, among others.

A conviction involving a child would have this Teacher fired from her position, and ineligible to ever teach children again.

THAT is the right thing to do; to sue for money is simply a grab at some funds.

Well I don;t know why everyone is so upset. This is the kind of thing that happened "back in the good old days" we all seem to want to return to.


CB

Teacher (and child) was lucky that the kid didn't go off on her and knock her lights out. IMHO it would have been warranted, yet I doubt it would have been seen that way. I know a lot of guys that have "feelings" for their manes. Good grief, let them have their hair now. Soon enough they'll have to cut it and conform to "The Rules" or not eat.

$50,000 is a start with the school..............then go after the teacher. Force he/she to pay out an equal amount and then a nice forced resignation with the lose of benifits and retirement. That might illustrate the need to keep ones hands to oneself.

At least in a college fund a $100,000 might mature enough that the kid will be able to go to his choice of university..........or start a business.

there is little class control and even less teaching

I don't know or do any of us the full story here. The trouble these days is that there is little class control and even less teaching.

Most teachers here in China try to teach but only to those students that pay attention. You are not supposed to wack a student here but a lot do including myself. I teach the old way and I don't give a sh-t if I impart a few bruises to my students.

I started a few months back at where I'm teaching. I am seeing kids change all around me into good students. I have one class from hell a class of second year middle school students. Nothing was getting learnt when I started in this class and very few out of some class had any chance of a working future. No respect, no interest in study, no ability. All that is starting to change.

Now before you judge me let me say that I am a popular teacher with my students. My classes are usually fun for my students. When kids know that you want them to get an education and a future they give you respect. I have been teaching since 1990 and have not had one parent complain yet. Parents talk over here and find out from other parents about the teachers. They want their kids to get ahead. Start wacking without good reason and you won’t last long.

Tell me what you would rather a few bruises and a kid with an education and a chance in life. Or would you prefer your average teacher that ignores dysfunctional kids and just tries to teach those that are interested. I had a Chinese teacher tell me that about half of his students put their heads and their desks and slept. Yep, I haven't time to mess around when I have 40 to 70 students per class in giving some special type of attention to a dysfunctional kid. I treat them the old way and take no rubbish from them.

The other thing I do is make my students sit properly. When I went to school you were always made to sit properly. Those days are gone. Most students sit badly nowadays and will have a lot of trouble before they are even thirty. If my students are sitting properly then for one thing they are not asleep. It helps a lot for getting attention.

You all seem to forget that the bible says spare the rod and spoil the child. Yes there used to be those who would take punishment too far for no good reason. The person however was at fault not the discipline.

If that were my child, I would be causing trouble for that teacher big time.

When I was in the 5th grade, I was given the only spanking I ever received in school and it was for not having my book covered. The male teacher was a football coach as well as teaching 5th grade. My dear father went to see him. He walked into the class room after school, refused to sit down and told the teacher in no uncertain terms that if he ever touched me again he would be looking for another job. That took care of the problem!

Just a side note, had I ever treated a teacher with disrespect and was spanked, I would have gotten another spanking a home. Spanking a child for not having a book covered was crazy.

The problem I have with this article, and with all the anti-teacher articles that are so common in the media today, is that we are not getting the truth. Of course the teacher is wrong for cutting the boy's hair. We all know that.

Do you people really believe that the bangs were not in this kid's eyes? Do you really believe that? Do you believe the kid is a shy, quiet, and reserved young man?

These articles are fables, folks.

My daughter goes to public school (Oh, bad coalcracker!) and she has a math teacher who stays after school to help her understand trigonometry. We'll never read about that teacher, will we? No, because it is so much more fun dispensing with truth so we can bash a profession that we are still carrying grudges against ever since we were in the 3rd grade and mistreated by some 82 year old sadist.

You keep doing the job, china connection. I respect you.

I will start by saying there are many fine and caring teachers that I respect and I appreciate the time and effort and genuine care they show in teaching my daughters.

However, we have had quite a few situations of teachers who have acted inappropriately. I dealt with it each time.

And if some teacher ever thought to cut my child's hair.....it would be a big mistake on their part.

And if I found out my child was acting disrespectfully or something....well, that would be a big mistake on their part.

Has anyone else noticed the uptick in government employees overstepping their job descriptions and imposing their 'power of the state' over our private rights?

Monkeywrench have you ever taught?

Monkeywrench have you ever taught? Forget the State that is a load of rubbish. Teaching is teaching. You either have a class learning or a class out of control. If you haven’t taught your kid to give respect and study then don't send them to a school where they are going to interfere with the study of good kids that want to learn. These are end days that is for sure.


For instance I spend 10% of my wages getting stuff translated so that I can teach better. I spend most of my free time preparing lessons that have an interest to students because the State doesn't provide what I need to do my job and maintain student interest.

I've never taught in a school but I did teach children in my church a number of years ago and I was selected teacher of the year twice and that was in a church with a membership of 5000 people. I ran my class with military precision. The kids loved it because I wouldn't let them get away with anything...but they knew that I loved them and they knew where they stood with me. Kids yearn for loving discipline and very clear limits and boundaries. We also ran a Christian school in the church facilities during the week and thats when I worked at the church full time. I would walk past some of those classrooms and the kids were sitting on top of their desks and sprawled out on top of the heaters and the noise level was so loud I don't know how you could learn anything...and that was at a Christian school no less. I had a number of parents sit in on some of my classes and several complained that I was too strict with the kids but I had a waiting list of kids that wanted to get in my class. Parents and teachers got to quit trying to be the kids best friend and start being parents and teachers. You do that and even if they don't like you....you will be respected. And I'll take that any day of the week.

Yes if I come on too strong to a kid that is sick or something my students will let me know. When I worked in Korea I used to get a few kids in my classes that were not all there. I think a lot of it was from agricultural chemicals as most of my students were off farms. My students would always let me know if I picked on one for not studying hard enough. I see about 500 different students a week so it is not easy to keep track on who's who.

As Hfcomms above says kids like "loving discipline and very clear limits and boundaries." They also love to realize that they are making progress with their studies.

Little kids love to get attention and seek it out where ever they can get it. I have seen this quite a lot of the years when I have taught in institutes where a lot of rich parents will drop their kids off to study as a form of baby sitting. You pay them a bit of attention and they latch on like baby monkeys.

When I read about kids being put on drugs for behavior problems I shake my head. I don't see any of that here in China and I never say it as a kid in Australia. I do believe that too much sugar can give you hypo kids and poor diet can give slow thinking kids but I think most of the problem comes from a lack of discipline in most cases.