Should Alfie's school make him have short hair?

If, as suggested, it's a prestigious school I expect the parents want Alfie to go there to get a good education.
His hair won't really affect that and I'm sure he would tie it back to avoid the dangers mentioned, as girls would also do.

Hmmm... 11-year-olds can have some strong opinions, especially about their own hair and clothes. Then again, they are still young enough to be heavily influenced by their parents. So it's hard to gauge if this very long hair is Alfie's wish or his parents'. But, clearly, the school rules are sexist, not just the rules about hair but those about jewelry. I'm not sure how wise it is to enter a school for the first time fighting w/ the administration though. If I were Alfie's parents, I might have simply looked for another school.

oooh, ouch, yes, CDT lessons could be hazardous too, bikergran!
Just imagine getting it caught up in some machinery.
Or flying around in cookery lessons.

The same goes for girls, too.

Very nice, Alfie.

However, I do think it needs to be tied up, plaited, put in a man-bun, whatever, for school.

H&S. Nits, a hazard in the science lab etc etc.

The same rule for girls, too.

Its sexist in the extreme to not allow boys and girls the same rights.
I expect if he said he was transitioning they'd go out of their way to accommodate his hair (which I think looks horrible)

I agree, as long as it’s tied back, what difference girl or boy, there are so many more important things to think about than the length of hair on a child

long hair/short hair same person, doesn't make any diff.

I think schools need to relax their "hair rules" so long as tidy and not a danger (science lab, cookery,woodwork classes etc etc )

But RosieLeah in this day and age (God how I hate that phrase!) do you think it's fair to have different rules for boys and girls, especially regarding hair?

What do the school do about Sikh boys who don't cut their hair?

Ummm , it’s a difficult one, girls are not discouraged from having short hair cuts, so logically why should a boy not be allowed to have long hair.
I suppose because it’s not the norm, it doesn’t seem quite right, but it is actually illogical to discourage or disallow him to, which Alfie himself has quite clearly pointed out.

Can’t see any problem in him having long hair. I think there’s too much fuss made at schools about haircuts as long as it’s clean what’s the harm?

My DGD’s school is very strict and there’s no way that Alfie’s hair would be allowed. Girls have to keep long hair tied back at all times. It’s a very sought after school and if you don’t like the rules there’s plenty who would jump in your place .

The school is predominantly a boys school, only the sixth form is mixed. Apparently they have boarders too, all boys.

Seems to me that would be setting a precedent if they let Alfie have his long hair.
It's a prestigious school, no mean feat getting in there.

If Alfie wants the education they provide, I think he should have his hair cut. After all, it's only hair, and hair keeps growing. He can have it long again when his school days are over.

Oh that is awful Anagram.

My son used to have long hair, which he kept tied back for work. Nothing whatsoever was said to him about his hair, but after a while, he realised that he was never being given the opportunity to meet clients. He had his hair cut short and suddenly he was being asked to meet with clients.

When he was at school, the school acknowledged that he was the best in his year at English by some way. However they decided not to award the English prize to him because, as the headteacher told us "We knew he wouldn't have his hair cut for the prize-giving ceremony".

Tbh, it's got nothing to with the school policy as far as I'm concerned. That non-style is just a waste of a head of hair.

Shorten it a bit and put it in a man bun on top.

I remember my youngest son going through a punk phase at 15 and being sent home from school because of his hair style. When I was working he and two friends (unbeknown to me) went to the barbers and had Mohican cuts, where the sides of the head are shaven and a long strip of hair is left as a plume in the middle.

I made him flatten the middle bit for school (which had a strict uniform policy) but still he was sent home and I got a slapped wrist in the form of a letter. I did go to see his Head of Year to explain, apologise and make the point that he would miss much of his education, pertinent to his GCSEs if he had to wait for his hair to re-grow. He relented so son and his friends were allowed back.

I'd imagine if Alfie's hair was tied back for school it shouldn't cause any problems. Two of my adult sons have shoulder length hair. It hasn't stopped them getting on in their chosen careers.

Or have it razored up the back and scrunch dry some curls into the top.

From that picture - I think it looks dreadful. Get it cut to collar length boy!

(Mother - he's all growed up now. Accept it)

Cant see the problem as long its kept tidy.

I’m sure a lot of girls in his class have equally long hair

Can’t see a problem

Here's a pic of Alfie.

Yes let him keep it you can’t have one rule for boys and one for girls as long as it tidy and nit flopping around a school should not be making double standards
Love long hair on men /boys up or down Both my Grandsons (although they have barely any contact as cousins too many miles of sea between them) but both got their longish hair cut into a modern fashionable style at 16
They will know when it’s the right time

Too

I’m with his parents on this one. If girls as allowed to have long hair then the boys should be allowed to. It was through challenging this sort of sexist nonsense that girls were allowed to wear trousers and do woodwork. Go Alfie!