[ad_1]
If students from Wairarapa’s largest high school want to dye their hair, sport multiple piercings, or wear the traditional Pasifika dress, now they can.
While some in the Wairarapa College school community are delighted with its new laid-back uniform rules, others say it is simply “snowflakes.”
The proposed changes to the school uniform have been a hot topic across the country recently, with more unisex and culturally sensitive options being adopted.
PIERS FULLER / Things
Wairarapa College’s 13th year student Adrian Johnson’s orange hairstyle fits into the school’s new uniform policy.
Pasia Manesa is of Samoan descent and has children at three Masterton schools. She appreciated Wairarapa College’s move to allow ie faitaga (traditional lava lava) but was not that interested in liberal hair color policy.
READ MORE:
* Traditional or obsolete? The school uniform rules that keep making headlines
* Fast flight to the hospital key for the Masterton woman who survived an aneurysm
* What happens when a small rural school disappears or not?
“The hair color was what got me. To some extent, I think children can express themselves, but it was too much for me to allow them to use whatever hair color they wanted. Some kids can be rowdy. “
Supplied
In 2015, former Wairarapa College student Anya Batt was sent home for having purple hair. Since then, the school has relaxed its rules.
Masterton’s mother, Emma Batt, said that if the school had had more relaxed uniform policies in the past, her stepson probably would have stayed longer.
“He said ‘they tell you at school that they want you to express yourself and be an individual, but if you dye your hair a slightly different color, all hell breaks loose,'” he said.
Once, Batt’s daughter was sent home from Wairarapa College for having purple hair, and she fully supported the new rules.
“I find it amazing that people face that children can have different colored hair.”
Piers Fuller / Stuff
Maria McKenzie, a member of the Wairarapa College board of directors, said the voice of the students played an important role in the decisions of the new policies.
Maria McKenzie of the Wairarapa College board of directors said the new policies were created in consultation with the school community and that it was important to hear what students wanted.
“We need to give them some power in the world and I know some people will not like that. They would like everyone to be born and come back when they are 25 years old with a fully functioning frontal cortex.
“This is the beginning for young people to have the opportunity to participate in their education and all the things that surround it.”
Melissa White, mother of a Year 13 student, said the new policies were out of touch with the real world.
The rules around allowing brightly colored hair and piercings were aimed at “dramatic little people,” he said.
“It seems to be based on the average millennial who feels like they need to be a special snowflake.
“I believe that school is for learning and children have to be taught what it is like to carry on.”
White admitted that some might consider her views “old-fashioned or Victorian,” but she had worked for employers who didn’t accept people with brightly colored hair or facial piercings.
“They won’t hire you if you have pink hair. They removed me because I had a nose ring. “
Piers Fuller / Stuff
Wairarapa College sophomore Caleb Rogers believes the new flexible uniform rules have gone too far.
Caleb Rogers, a Year 10 student, thought the flexible rules went too far.
His main concern was that people could dye their hair any color they wanted and have many piercings.
“I think it could get out of hand, people might think that he can do whatever he wants. If he starts with this, he could go further. “
Last year, teachers called for schools to adopt more gender-neutral uniforms for practical and affordable reasons.
What are the new rules:
- Students’ hair can be any color they like.
- They can have any number of earrings and a maximum of two face piercings.
- Students can wear a collar under their shirt collar.
- Visible tattoos require the consent of a parent / guardian.
- All uniform items can be worn throughout the year.
- Sun hats, hats, long skirts / dresses are optional.
- Girls can wear pants and / or culottes
