This kids excuse is amusing, I guess some Messianic Jews probably don’t shave but every one I’ve met does. Being a Reformed Christian I’ve had the chance to meet and hear a few over the years. He is the first Messianic Jew I’ve seen lately that has chosen that hair style too, I guess times are a changin. I think he should have claimed to be a Hasidic Jew. I do have a Mexican friend who claims to be a Sephardic Jew (I find that claim pretty amusing too).

https://www.click2houston.com/...s-religious-beliefs/

HOUSTON – A Pearland Independent School District high school student says his right to religious freedom and expression was violated when he was forced to shave his mustache.

It happened at Dawson High School last week. Paul Miller III, 16, says for the last two months administrators have told him his mustache is against dress code.

"I told the school I can't shave, I'm Messianic Jew, it's part of my religion. But apparently they don't respect that and that's horrible," the sophomore said.

A spokesperson for Pearland ISD says school administrators told the teen to get a letter from his parents for a religious exemption from the dress code.

“No such note was ever submitted,” Kim Hocutt told KPRC 2.

Miller and his father dispute the district’s claim saying he turned the letter in to an assistant principal who they claim rejected it.

"They asked for a letter, I sent a letter and they refused it," said Paul Miller Jr.

Things came to a head last week when the teen says he tried to get an exemption from final exams but was told by an administrator he needed to comply with the dress code first.

"She told me if I shaved, I would get my exemption," he said.

The teen says he went to the nurse’s office.

“I kept telling her I was told to shave but I don’t want to do it, I was trying to work something out, apparently I couldn’t. It got to the point where she shaved me herself,” Paul said.

In a statement to KPRC 2, Pearland ISD said, “it is absolutely false that the school nurse shaved the student. The student shaved himself by his own choosing."

Pearland ISD is also embattled in a federal lawsuit related to a separate incident in April, in which an administrator was placed on leave for using a black marker to fill in the designs that were part of a middle school boy’s haircut, alleging it was against dress code.

“That is why we’re here today — because of the violation of the civil rights of this African- American student. And we’re seeing a real pattern here and it’s not just us, it’s the United States Department of Justice that sees a pattern of racial discrimination,” said the family’s attorney, civil rights lawyer Randall Kallinen.

The family says they are weighing their legal options. In the meantime, they say they would like an apology from the district and for all staff to receive additional training.

And the insanity continues. The "school systems" are largely out of control.

First, they have no right to tell a student that he has to shave due to some asinine school "regulation".

Second: they have no right to establish restrictions of any kind on religious beliefs.

If, in fact the kid was forcibly shaved that is a HUGE violation of his rights.

Both the school system and individuals involved should be sued into oblivion.

Edited to correct the sentence that stated "They had right...…" They have no right to establish restrictions on any religious beliefs. They may not like, or agree with, the kid's beliefs but it is none of their business!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Elk Hunter,

Elk, is it at all possible that the student and his father were less than completely forthright? Granted, if everything they say is true, the school and the involved employees should be spanked. I just question if there is enough in this news report to conclude that everything they say is true.

I cant seem to understand why the hell the school cares about facial hair? The kid is there, that's all that matters

quote:

...told by an administrator he needed to comply with the dress code first.

Sounds like quid pro quo, to me.

Schools have dress codes and I assume it covers hair in this case. That’s a large school and it’s fishy that only one kid has a problem with it. I’m skeptical of the kids religious claim too. If he were that concerned about his religious beliefs then he would not have shaved in the first place and would have gotten the exemption. I think it’s someone wanting a payout from the school district but that’s just me. Maybe I’m wrong and his family regularly attends church and are dedicated, active members. It’s a possibility.

That’s bullshit. That school has no right to tell the kid that he has to shave. He’s not enlisted in the military.

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
That’s bullshit. That school has no right to tell the kid that he has to shave. He’s not enlisted in the military.

Then why would it be ok in the military?

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
That’s bullshit. That school has no right to tell the kid that he has to shave. He’s not enlisted in the military.

So they can tell them what to wear, whether their shirts can be untucked, what color clothes to wear and not wear but they can’t tell them no facial hair? They can and they did...

Edit- I was wrong, here are the dress code requirements for this school starting on page 45. It’s pretty clear.
https://www.pearlandisd.org/si...Handbook_2019-20.pdf

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
Elk, is it at all possible that the student and his father were less than completely forthright? Granted, if everything they say is true, the school and the involved employees should be spanked. I just question if there is enough in this news report to conclude that everything they say is true.

Yes, it is possible. But based on school systems in various locations injecting themselves into social areas where they have no business, I tend to believe them.

I just read applicable sections of that book.

That whole MCF seems, to me to be a pretty large violation of student rights.

Wonder who drafted that, and worse, who actually approved it!

quote:

Originally posted by rockchalk06:
I cant seem to understand why the hell the school cares about facial hair? The kid is there, that's all that matters

Wrong. I had a great deal to do with the creation of what is now one of the largest charter schools in Central Florida. From the very beginning, we were very open with parents that there would be uniforms and a hair and appearance code for 'all' students that chose to attend, and adherence to that code would be mandatory. To this day, boys with beards or mustaches are sent home until they are clean shaven. Show up without your uniform, home you go until you're dressed per code.

This country on the whole is desperately in need of a little structure and personal discipline. And just to be clear, the aforementioned charter school has been in business for almost 10 years and to date, has never faced any pushback at all on the dress and appearance code. Might have something to do with the academic accomplishments and the college scholarships kids attending school here have gotten, and continue to receive.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by rockchalk06:

This country on the whole is desperately in need of a little structure and personal discipline.

"structure and personal discipline"????? WTF do they have with learning????

What we have is a story taken only from the student’s side. It’s written to generate sympathy and make the school look bad. There’s a lot of the story that’s missing.

Where is the bit the father going to the school and meeting with the principal? How did that get skipped? How many of us would insist on such a meeting?

The issue of the letter. My read is the student says he turned it in. The school says it wasn’t. Fine. Have the father bring the letter in. Maybe when he meets with the principal? More then fine get their Rabbi involved. Wouldn’t you expect a religious leader would be able to explain this and carry a lot of weight with the school.

However, the mustache. Looked at websites and photos of Hasidic Jews, Messianic Jews and Ultra-Orthodox Jews. What you see are Beards, or clean shaven. You don’t find just a mustache. Checking various articles about the Messianic Jews, I found clothing and dress rules for services but nothing on facial hair.

A critical point is the claim that the nurse shaved him. I do not recall ever seeing a shaving razor in a school nurse’s office. Were a nurse to shave him, odds are good they’d be fired.
Supposedly the student is told by a female administrator that he saved, he could test. At this point every student would pull out their cell phone and call Dad. Then Dad can rant on the phone to the administrator.

Given, if you don’t like schools you’re going to support the student.

https://rabbiyeshua.com/services/more/dress-code
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...he-wanted-exams.html

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
That’s bullshit. That school has no right to tell the kid that he has to shave. He’s not enlisted in the military.

Then why would it be ok in the military?

First of all the military and school are 2 different things and in the military it serves a practical purpose so you can get a good seal on your gas mask.
Also, it’s the damn military.
The school needs to butt out on stuff like this. I get them not wanting girls having their butts and boobs hanging out or wearing clothes that have offensive words/ect. On them. Whatever, but a kid who can grow a beard or mustache? Who gives a shit. It’s ridiculous
That’s something that’s up to his parents, not the school

As I read it, this is a school that has students by choice. If so, the school has every right to institute appearance standards, because it is a privilege, not a right, to go there. If one does not agree to the standards, other schools without them are available.

Also, I know of no group within Judaism that requires a mustache.

flashguy

I got kicked off the wrestling team for having long hair. (Ok, I kicked myself off) Coach said "cut the hair or you can't wrestle". I said screw it, went and started doing drama. Was practicing for Alice in Wonderland as the King of hearts when the wrestling coach came up and said that the fella suppose to wrestle couldn't make it and that would I please come and wrestle this kid so that they wouldn't lose the match. He was sure I'd win and begged me as if they took a by they'd lose the match he expected. I've got rouge on both cheeks, red silk kind of strangeness for clothes, and my long hair....and I got self conscious and couldn't talk. Coach started in trying to convince me....thinking I was simply resisting LOL. He didn't know that I was so freaking embarrassed. Eventually he coaxed me after promising that my hair would never be an issue again, ever. I beat the kid, we won the match. I got another letter. The hair was a non issue in the grand scheme of things 50 years back and I suspect its the same with this kids moustache today.