OBLATES OF ST.

JOSEPH SCHOOLS

Holy Family Academy

Banaba, Padre Garcia, Batangas

Title of the Project:

Is observing uniformity in the academic performance of the junior high school students a
must?

Project Description:

This project aims to contradict to the proper haircut policy of different educational
establishments. The junior high school students were just learning to disobey the rules
and regulations of the school when the monthly checking of proper haircut comes. This
project aims to raise the voice of the youth, particularly the junior high school students
to be against the policy of proper haircut in every school.

It’s a debate that educationists have not come to a conclusive agreement about.
Some say there is a link between keeping long hair at school and academic
performance, while others argue that there is no link whatsoever. In the past, it was a
taboo to go to school with hair slightly an inch longer for girls. In fact, if a learner had
hair that was more than an inch long, she or he was not allowed into the school. (Asaba,
2016)

Schools which prohibit learners from keeping their hair long while in school,
argue that it is time wasting and costly, which affects performance and mutual respect
between students and teachers.

Objectives (3):

 To raise the awareness of the junior high school students about the said proper
haircut policy in every schools.
 To boost the self-confidence and self-esteem of the junior high school students
by expressing their outer selves through the use of their desired looks by the help
of this project.
 To help the junior high school students to be aware of the new trend and fashion
while studying, for them to be active and fast learners by the help of being true to
themselves brought by self-enhancing by implementing this project.
Related Literatures and Resources:

 UST hair policy for students: This is not about vanity

The student movement against UST’s hair policy is more than about students “ranting”
for their supposed “vanity and narcissistic desires.”

It is seen as an issue of the lack of consultation with students – them being the primary
stakeholders of the institution – in the policy making of the university. More than that, it
has a clear link to the fascist or repressive character of the system of education here in
the Philippines.

Before enrolling in UST, Thomasians would have to pledge agreement with the policies
imposed by the university, or they would not be allowed to proceed in the enrollment
procedures.

Students have no choice but to comply with the policies at hand, without questioning or
having a say about them. It is appalling how students are dictated to “just follow rules,”
no matter what the substance of the rule is, and “keep their opinions to themselves,”
which is observably a way of teaching them uncritical submission and blind obedience.

Not a measure of one's academic performance

Hair color and hair length do not, in any way, affect a student's academic performance,
and these surely do not determine an individual's morality. The university being a
Catholic institution would also not be considered a justification since there is no Papal
Encyclical, Apostolic/Pastoral Exhortation, or anything written in the Bible which states
that a person is immoral or less of a person because of his hair color or hair length.
Having short hair (for men) or having black or "earth-colored" hair does not equate to
being morally good. "Even Jesus Christ had long hair," students would even point out.
This is a clear manifestation that both hair color and hair length do not define one’s
being.
Moreover, it is misleading to reason out that students must look “decent”– for there is no
definite image of how a decent person must look like.

Also, the meaning of the word “decent” itself would be subjective to how people would
define it.

The idea that these students would eventually need to have “proper grooming” once
they enter the corporate world should also be crossed out since there are people with
corporate jobs having different hair color, long hair, or various hair styles, and these do
not affect their performance in their work.

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/ispeak/105273-ust-hair-policy-students-vanity

 My Hair My Rights

By William Pleasant, 17, Fresno

I received over six hours of detention, served three in-school suspensions, and
was constantly harassed at the end of my junior year of high school just for
having my hair like this.

My school district had a rule against boys having long hair. I knew the rule was
unfair. My fellow students knew it was unfair. But it didn’t matter because we
were powerless. Or at least that’s what I thought.

As a last ditch effort, I reached out to the ACLU to see if I could get help starting
my senior year without being disciplined for my hair. In the end, I was able to
start senior year and keep my hair like this because I took a stand. And, my
school district promised that the rule against long hair will be changed next
semester to be in compliance with California laws on gender equity.

I distinctly remember what a teacher told me when I first said I thought the rule
for men’s hair wasn’t right and needed to be changed. It went something like,
“the rule isn’t going to change it doesn’t matter what you do, it doesn’t matter
 what you think is right you should just follow it so you stop getting in trouble “.
Sadly that idea summarizes the general sentiment of students, but that’s not how
students should feel.

As students we forget that we have rights. We act as spectators to school and

district rules no matter how unfair. We have been conditioned from a young age
to “not argue with adults” and do what we are told. It feels easier to comply
with rules than to oppose them or change them. The problem with staying
silent is that it allows schools and districts to abuse their power and
authority.

However, students just like everyone, have the right to feel comfortable in
their own skin, included, and fairly treated. And yet, too often schools get
away with enforcing rules and restrictions that do the opposite. This injustice in
school not only hurts students personally, but also negatively impacts their
education. Personally, I was told I was being “dumb” and “childish” by teachers
and learning directors for not complying with a rule that was obvious gender
discrimination. And instead of focusing on studying for my finals, I spent my time
worrying about being disciplined for my hair.

School doesn’t have to be that way. Students shouldn’t be made to feel

powerless to the rules that dictate a significant part of their lives. We have a say
in the rules. If there is ever a rule that you think isn’t fair, I strongly urge you to
not just standby, but to actively oppose it. You have more power than you think.
Just because we are students doesn’t mean that we don’t have a voice.

https://www.myschoolmyrights.com/my-hair-my-rights/

 Rwanda: School Life - Why Observing Uniformity is Very Crucial

opinion By Solomon Asaba

It's a debate that educationists have not come to a conclusive agreement about. Some
say there is a link between keeping long hair at school and academic performance,
while others argue that there is no link whatsoever.
In the past, it was a taboo to go to school with hair slightly an inch longer for girls. In fact
if a learner had hair that was more than an inch long, she or he was not allowed into the
school.

Schools which prohibit learners from keeping their hair long while in school, argue that it
is time wasting and costly, which affects performance and mutual respect between
students and teachers.

For instance, a few months ago, it was reported that a student at a school in Kanombe
refused to go to school until her father provided money for plaiting hair after seeing the
other girls in the school with treated hair. The father succumbed to pressure and gave
her money to treat and maintain her hair.

Experts say lack of uniformity is what causes such unnecessary demands by learners,
arguing that restricting long hair is a necessity in schools.

"Keeping uniformity helps the students to feel like one family despite the different
backgrounds. If you have some students with treated long hair while others can't afford
the same, it will cause segregation among the learners and subsequently you will get
such scenarios like the Kanombe parent," says a senior teacher in a city school.

Schools in Rwanda have restrictions on long hair especially in the public schools. But
the situation is different; in private and international schools- girls come to school with
long hair in all shapes and styles.

Moses Katufu, a teacher of Entrepreneurship at King David Academy, says long hair is
allowed in the school but it should not be tinted. And for boys weird hairstyles are not
allowed.

The school principal, Annet Batamuriza, echoes Katufu's views, but points out that
tinted hair is forbidden for girls.

"Much as good hair enhances the pride of women, we don't allow tinted hair at school,"
says Batamuriza.

Students need to adhere to school regulations.

Most parents and educators have argued that the culture of hairstyles in schools should
receive some kind of regulation.

At King David Academy, for instance, boys who report to school with long hair have
their heads shaved.

"Boys should keep their hair trimmed to at least 2 inches long, otherwise those who
report with long hair are punished to serve as examples to the rest," adds Katufu.
In extreme circumstances, some schools will chose to suspend students until they
shave their heads.

But Simon Ntwari, a parent in Kimihura, considers regulating students' hairstyles

inappropriate and a waste of valuable time.

"Hair should not be a big deal as long as the student has put on the appropriate school
uniform. I don't think hair should be a distraction in school whether for boys or girls,"
says the father of two.

Georgina Mukeshimana, a parent in Remera, however thinks regulation of hairstyles

should be left at the discretion of school authorities.

"But once you become complacent with all hairstyles, students will bring everything to
school. Students should be made to understand that rules are there and have to be
followed," she asserts.

For Thomas Mugarura, a parent in Nyamirambo, hairstyles should be the last thing for
schools to worry about.

"I really don't understand why schools do not put efforts on better practices of teaching
and learning instead of non issues like hairstyles. We pay for the hair and that should
only be a concern on our side," he explains, wondering how hair is connected to
academic performance.

No room for bad hairstyles

Most schools have regulations in place.

At GS Kimisagara, for instance, only hairstyles deemed decent are allowed for both
boys and girls.

"Girls can puff their hair, but haircuts for boys should only be those that don't raise
attention within the school," says Telesphore Muhawenimana, a teacher at the school.

He adds that students have to ensure proper hygiene for their hair not to spread
infections.

"All hair whether puffed or not has to remain neat and tidy because poor hygiene could
be dangerous to other students," he adds.

At St Patrick School in Kicukiro, being found with poor hairstyles will earn the offender a
punishment.
"If you insist on bringing bad hair to school, we can ask your parents to intervene. In
case that fails we identify appropriate punishments," explains, Claudine Gwiza, a
teacher at the school.

Because of liberty on hairstyles, some students tend to take advantage to make 'weird'
hairstyles similar to those of their favourite celebrities.

Augustine Gatera, the director, unit of languages and humanities in the curriculum and
pedagogical material department at Rwanda Education Board says that such behavior
should not be allowed.

"Most of the funny hair styles students want are those copied from western artistes and
film stars. In our society that is totally inappropriate," says Gatera.

He therefore calls for strict guidelines to ensure that students don't derail from the right
path just for the sake of looking like superstars.

"Much as we don't want to infringe on the rights of our children, we have to be careful
not to promote a generation of untouchables. We must go back to our cultural codes of
dressing," he adds.

According to William Wasswa, the dean of students at ESSA Nyarugunga, hairstyles

are not bad for girls but students misuse this liberty to demand money from their parents
for styling hair.

"Most parents cannot afford such huge sums yet the only thing that makes students
happy is just plaiting the hair," says Wasswa.

Wasswa also points out that the demand for luxurious hairstyles is contributing to the
exodus of students from government schools that do not allow plaiting of hair.

"Students pester their parents to switch schools only for the purpose of styling hair," he
adds.

The controversial debate issue of long hair versus performance is not isolated to
Rwanda. In 2005, the BBC reported that schoolgirls in Togo had been sent home to
have their heads shaved because teachers claimed they wasted too much time playing
with their hair. The decision which was backed by the country's education ministry
became a big topic of discussion, with opinions deeply divided. While critics and
students accused the schools of acting overzealously and failing to tackle the real
problem of underachievement, enthusiasts supported the move saying long hair was
one of the reasons the girl’s performance was rating far lower than that of boys.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201603230062.html
  Learning to fit in with a disciplined society

Hairstyle together with the dress code is part of a school's enforcement of discipline. A
school's function is not only to teach the three Rs, but also to shape young people to fit
in with a disciplined society they move into when leaving school. The girls' school
should have been supported for enforcing appropriate discipline, for the ultimate good of
the students.

Bill Mathew, Parkville

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-letters/schools-uniform-policies-hairstyles-
dont-affect-students-education-20170330-gvahwy.html