A FURIOUS mother pulled her son out of school for a week after he was put in detention because of his hairstyle.
Lisa Coles has refused to send her 13-year-old son Storm to Barnsley Academy since Tuesday after he was given a ‘stage five’ isolation punishment - the ultimate sanction prior to exclusion - because his new haircut breached the rules for being too short.
Storm, who is in year nine, has his hair shaved shorter on the sides and longer on the top, a style made popular in recent years by the TV show Peaky Blinders.
Mum Lisa, of Osmond Way, Worsbrough Bridge, said he got it cut last Friday and was fuming to find out on Monday that he’d been punished for it.
She said: “He went to school on Monday and when he came home he told me he’d been put in stage five all day. Straight away I said ‘that’s it you’re grounded, no Xbox’ because I thought he’d been messing about but then he said it was for his haircut and that he would be in stage five all week.
“I did say to the school Storm wasn’t coming in if he was going to be put in stage five.”
She has defended her decision to pull him out of school for the week.
Barnsley Academy’s policy says ‘extreme haircuts are not allowed’. The website states: “It is at the school’s discretion as to what constitutes ‘extreme’ but usually involves shaven heads (less than a number two on the shaver) on any part of the hair or carved/patterned shapes in short hairstyles, Mohican hairstyles, large back-combed hairstyles, multicoloured / unusually coloured or extremely vibrant coloured hair.”
A spokesman for Barnsley Academy said: “The school has clear and reasonable expectations on student uniform and appearance. Our guidelines are clearly explained to all students and parents through our website, texts and school planner.
“The vast majority of our students and their families support this approach, resulting in smart, well-presented young people, who are ready to learn and who act as ambassadors for the school and the wider community.
“Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, when students do not meet our high expectations in respect of uniform, they are not excluded but continue to be educated at school just not with their class mates.”
