http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/20...landplayer.txt
GREENLAND -- Cambron Clark was excited last summer after he decided to transfer from the Winslow campus to Greenland Elementary School for seventh grade and the chance to play basketball, his mother told the Greenland School Board on Monday.
That excitement was erased on the first day of the 2004-05 school year when 13-year Cambron was told to cut his hair, Brenda Clark recalled, retracing events of the last school year that included incidents of bullying and ridicule by coaches and other players.
In spite of those incidents, the boy continued to practice and sat on the bench at every game, even though he was never allowed to play in a game, Clark said.
He continued to make straight As, was enrolled in the school's gifted and talented program, was selected for a special science fair and placed third in a schoolwide spelling bee.
He showed promise as the starting point guard on the seventh-grade team but he couldn't play basketball because his "long hair" rested on the back of his shirt collar and reached the tips of his ear lobes on the sides, said Clark, with a school photo in hand of her son.
Clark said she talked with coaches and school administrators and has taken her case to the school board to raise awareness about the situation.
The issue of hair length is not addressed in the handbook students receive at the start of the school year, but in an athletic handbook that is considered part of the student handbook, the policy states the dress and appearance of players is left up to the coaches.
Fayetteville School District Athletic Director Johnson said such a policy is not unusual. Fayetteville coaches have a say over hair length for the players they coach, Johnson said.
Clark recounted the coaches she spoke with told her Cambron's only recourse was to cut his hair. There was no alternative, such as pulling the hair back into a pony tail or wearing a headband.
Superintendent Ron Brawner said after Monday's meeting female athletes in Greenland are required to wear long hair pulled back in a pony tail to keep their hair out of their eyes.
The coaching staff wants boys to look more uniform with shorter hair, Brawner said.
"Once a rule is established by the coaches, all coaches follow the same rule," Brawner said.
Students agree to the athletic policies, including the hair length, when they sign their student handbook at the beginning of the school year, he said.
Cambron plans to transfer to Prairie Grove for eighth grade and has been told his hair length will not be an issue there, said Clark, who is the elementary school principal in that district.
Board members did not discuss Clark's case and took no action on her comments although Brawner distributed copies of the proposed handbook for the upcoming school year which starts Aug. 19. The handbook will be on the agenda for the Aug. 15 meeting, he said.
After the meeting, board member Jim Center told Brawner the new policy should specifically state the length of a player's hair, if it is that important to coaches.
Brawner said the major change in the athletic handbook for next year is that it incorporates cheerleaders who will have to follow the same rules as girls' basketball.
Johnson said athletic programs are governed by concerns over safety and how a player's appearance will affect his play.
"We don't want anybody appearing in such a way as to draw away from the performance of the team," Johnson said Monday, noting Fayetteville coaches have discretion over the length of hair but a situation rarely surfaces in which a youngster would be prevented from playing because of the length of his hair.
"Every coach deals with (hair length) in a different way," he added. One coach, for instance, doesn't allow players to have facial hair.
"Our coaches must have good discretion because it never comes up," Johnson said. "In 2005, you've got to allow kids to express themselves."
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Blaze's Take: Manu & Steve Nash are gonna be pissed.
That's not unusual for any athletic program. The high school I was zoned to has a really well known baseball program, and it's equally well known that you have to make some sacrifices to be in it - cutting your hair is one of those things. My cousins both have long hair, but they plan on cutting it for baseball - it's really not that big a deal. It's an elective activity.
I agree, I just wonder if he was wanting to play so that he could get the flop effect.
Anything less than conformity is not acceptable.
Self-expression and individuality should be destroyed at all costs.
Now get back in line.
He looks 100%, actually 200% better with it cut. My own opinion, of course.
If he and his mother want him to look sloppy than that should be their prerogative, though.
Hey, guess what, kid? In real life, you might have to cut your hair and dress professionally to get a job. Welcome to reality.
I sincerely doubt that requiring this kid to conform to a code applied to all other participants in an extracurricular activity is going to suppress his ability to express himself. This is stupid, and the parent is contributing to the problem by being offended when there is nothing to be offended by. Idiots like this parent are trying to teach their kid that rules can be weaseled out of by their actions.
FYI, no boy in my school was allowed to have hair below the collar or facial hair. No one could wear sleeveless shirts, and girl's skirts and shorts had to be within 2" of the knee (depending on how hot they were). Imagine that, not dressing like skanks or lowlifes at school.
I say, let him learn the hard way....and spend his entire professional job-hunting career wondering why he can't get a 2nd interview.
Why is this news. Just cut your hair or don't play.
Jesus.
Seems like a lot of trouble to avoid a haircut.
Some people need a cause.
hey mommy, I don't want to pay for your ing kid to go to school. deal with it.
.
"Once a rule is established by the coaches, all coaches follow the same rule," Brawner said.
Students agree to the athletic policies, including the hair length, when they sign their student handbook at the beginning of the school year, he said.
Sorry mama! You have no case.
Or does she?
"Every coach deals with (hair length) in a different way," he added. One coach, for instance, doesn't allow players to have facial hair.
"Our coaches must have good discretion because it never comes up," Johnson said. "In 2005, you've got to allow kids to express themselves."
The issue of hair length is not addressed in the handbook students receive at the start of the school year, but in an athletic handbook that is considered part of the student handbook, the policy states the dress and appearance of players is left up to the coaches.
I have no problem with there being a rule regarding haircuts.
However, I think the rule should be made an actual school sports' policy, clearly do ented and permanent. It should not be a rule that can vary on who coaches each year.
Last edited by angel_luv; 07-20-2005 at 11:29 AM.
I side with Carlos Mencia on this one. Why the f*ck is this news?!
The majority of employees in my company are required to work from 7:30 AM to 4 PM. I am required to be here during normal business hours (8-5) so that I can deal with customers and vendors working those hours. Special rules apply to me based on who my boss is and what job I do.
First guy hit the nail on the ing head. It's an extra whatever whatever activity, if you don't want to cut your hair then take your got ass over to the chess club and shut the up.
Bill Walton had to cut his hair/beard to play for John Wooden's UCLA Bruins.
Cambron Clark can cut his hair to play for Greenland Elementary.One day, All-America center Bill Walton showed up with a full beard. "It's my right," he insisted. Wooden asked if he believed that strongly. Walton said he did. "That's good, Bill," Coach said. "I admire people who have strong beliefs and stick by them, I really do. We're going to miss you." Walton shaved it right then and there.
dammit mattingly cut those sideburns!
guess what kid
in real life (10 years from now)
you MAY be asked to cut your moderately long hair for a job
what a dumbass kid living in a liberal fantasy world
im gonna kick that kids ass
none of this seems to stop johnny damon from making a fool out of himself
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