Suspended over 'Ray-hawk'

Ellenton seventh-grader Zachary Sharples loves the Tampa Bay Rays. So much so that he got a Mohawk that has (perhaps unfortunately) become the rallying hairdo for the surging baseball team.

That style might be hot at the Trop. But it didn't go over so well at Lincoln Middle School.

The Bradenton Herald reports it this way:

Before Zachary went to bed, he made sure to wash off the dye so he wouldn't get in trouble at school the next day.
But the boy's 1-inch mohawk still earned him an in-school suspension Monday, said his father Kevin Pennington. Zachary was told he violated dress code.
"I did nothing but sat there," Zachary said Tuesday. "We couldn't talk, it was stupid."
Zachary was given two choices by the school, Pennington said.
He can either shave his head to be allowed back into his classes, or let his hair grow out - in in-school suspension.

See the full story here.

View tampabay.com readers' RayHawk photos

Comments

[C]

I have had a mohawk for the last 2 weeks and I am in highschool nobody has said anything to me. I think the school officials should take I class poll to learn how much the other students could care less about the other kid having a mohawk. Its definately not distracting.

[Cassandra]

First of all Way To Go Rays!!! I just have one question... shouldn't the schools down here be more worried about there slumping education rates rahter than a fanatical haircut? Seriously, I'm from Indiana and 65% graduation is something to be ashamed of. The high school I graduated from had a 98.9% graduation rate. I am absolutely disgusted by the education down here. Some things need to change.

[Aaron]

I think that other comments made stating that there are larger problems to worry about are correct, but this simple problem being addressed is also right. If it is not addressed, we are teaching kids it's ok to break or bend the rules when it suits a purpose. This is where the larger problems evolve from.

[Russell J. Gorman III]

to the woman who speaks of conforming to the rules, if i was the father of that son i would send you a big piece of apple pie for your mouth, so you can sit on your butt and teach your children how to lay down and kiss butt. his son will make something of himself b/c his father obviously taught him to stand up for his rights in america because today prisoners have more rights than even you lady. think before you speak!

[bobby]

he goes to my school in agriscience class and passes out folders.

[Russell J. Gorman III]

to the woman who speaks of conforming to the rules, if i was the father of that son i would send you a big piece of apple pie for your mouth, so you can sit on your butt and teach your children how to lay down and kiss butt. his son will make something of himself b/c his father obviously taught him to stand up for his rights in america because today prisoners have more rights than even you lady. think before you speak!

[Russell J. Gorman III]

to the woman who said kids have to follow rules and rules are rules! your an adult and your at work your boss comes up to you and says that your too fat for the company, and you need to take off time to loss 30 pounds so when you have meetings with a big corporation they will be better prone to doing the deal b/c you are a pretty and average sized woman now...so lets get this straight, you would just go home right b/c rules are rules...no you would go home become anorexic and sue the balls off your work! so stick the rules are rules up yours!

[Russell J. Gorman III]

I was the student in Rhode Island that was thrown out of school at Saint Raphael Academy and had a long stressful court battle that lasted throughout my whole high school career. I had a mullet per say and it was neat, tidy, in a pony-tail, brushed, etc. this hair-do had been apart of me since I was 4 years old and became kind of an identity that I associated with. I was told to cut my hair because it was a health hazard and was a distraction to my peers who were paying good money for their education. This is BS I was an honors student, had many friends, played basketball and averaged 26.8 points per game my freshmen year, etc. my point is that schools think they are congress and have the right to pass any law they see fit, however unreasonable it may be. I agree with one person who wrote that this is because schools are too big and the administration should get to know you on a personal basis. My school had a problem with my hair but when I went to church they still gave me the eucharist, and accepted my fathers money as well as mine (he had same hair as I) without judging me! The problem with this world is that their our too many administrative officials in schools where their job title gets to their heads and they think they are GOD! they feel they can do whatever they feel or see fit, and say its for the good of the majority. I tried the discrimination thing and it got shot down a rule was adopted that students may not wear their hair no longer than the bottom of their shirt collar. But none-the-less I cut my hair went back my senior year, and graduated next to a colored boy (no prejudice here) who had his corn-roes well past his shirt collar but nothing was done to him because he could cry discrimination! This is utter BS, so I leave you all with this, the world and its so called school administration are all communist bastards, and the catholic schools are nothing but bigamist ( most have non catholic teachers and admin.! I have short hair and will never wear my hair long again because its not worth the BS anymore. I am now on my way to being a member of the RI State Police, so I say hang in their kid and wear your hair proud because you are not doing it to make a fool of yourself, you are doing it because of the principle of the matter (cheering on your rays)! good luck and fight it kid! I set the road for you! look up my case for whoever wants to research it on google (Russell J. Gorman vs. Saint Raphael Academy) thanks for reading...

[MD]

Oops...
No fat kids in class because THEIR fat rolls are distracting for the kids sitting behind them? If his mohawk isn't tall enough to block the view of the board from behind then BFD!

[MD]

1.) Don't assume that most teachers have a problem with this. Teachers don't make dress code rules.

2.) This is ridiculous. What's next? No fat kids in class because there fat rolls are distracting for the kids sitting behind them? If his mohawk isn't tall enough to block the view of the board from behind then BFD!

[the bob]

ooooooh he goes to my school lincoln!!!!

[JB]

This further entrenches the fact that this is the weakest generation in American history.

[Allan Miles]

To Zach, Kevin and Jennifer. This is from Grandpa Al. You all know how straight laced a person I am. However the actions of that school principal are ridiculous. He must be a complete introvert. I am proud of Zach for displaying support for what he holds in high esteem. Atta boy Zach. Will talk to you soon. Love Grandpa Al

[Kevin]

Great! we would rather have the kid look like a "skinhead" than to let him have his "rayhawk"! We are on the verge of economic collapse, and some middle school kid's haircut gets this much attention?! Shame on the administrators at this school.

[K]

I am someone who also personally knows this family.
Kevin, if you were any kind of a father, you would tell Zach to cut his hair and get his butt back in class.
Life is not always fair. Is it more important to be stubborn because you don't like the rules or is the most important thing your child's education? Stop being a self-indulgent pig and teach your son that sometimes you do have to conform.
When parents do not like the school policies, they can always get involved, go to board meetings and try to change the things with which they don't agree.
When I was in high school in the early 80s, I went in one day with a fake nose ring. My teacher sent me to the office and I was made to take it off. I called mom, very upset. Guess what, she said that there are always going to be expectations and many of them I may not like. "Now take that ring out and get your butt back to class". I did and it didn't kill me. It actually "taught" me something. WOW
K

[get over it]

When I first read this story, I sided with the kid and his family. I thought surely the school overreacted and was in the wrong for suspending the kid just for a mowhawk. After seeing an interview on the new with the kid last night, I have a different opinion. The kid was obnoxious and arrogant. He probably got called down about and then mouthed off to principal. That is the problem with today's society. We are so concerned with kids' self-esteem. Letting them express themselves and other such nonsense, that kids have no sense of respect. They think they deserve everything, which they don't. Kids need to learn that whether they like it or not, they are kids, and rules are rules.

[Marc]

The Mahicans were exterminated for wearing the same hairdo, clearly this boy and any other person wearing a similar hairdo should be executed immediately! Its the American thing to do. If you don't fit in, discriminate, persecute, execute. Whether India, Black, Jew, Irish, Italian or German. One way or another they should all be exterminated because they don't fit into the WASP American System! Kill those Mohawk Lovers NOW!!!

[ana]

Ellenton seventh-grader Zachary Sharples loves the Tampa Bay Rays.
since you persist in TAMPA rays...why
not move them across the bridge.. I
frankly will be celebrating the end
of baseball season.. I do not see anything but a lot of disruptive people-- wanting THEIR OWN WAY...

[flanygal]

I spend alot of time in the Mohawk Valley. The Mohawk Indians are from there. The ones I know are very nice people. Have you ever had a conversation with an Indian? The Onondaga's have an awesome restaurant. The Oneida's have a huge Casino. I could go on. I will forward this article to my Mohawk friends.
I'd rather look at a Mohawk haircut anyday, as opposed to someone's pants sagging below their "seat."

[Greg]

Are you kidding me. If I went to that school I would get a bunch of my friends to all get Mohawks just to make the administration crazy. A suspension because of his hair? And the excuse they had was that it is a distraction and once kids start talking about it, it is hard to regain control? Really, when I was in middle school a fight could break out in the middle of class and the only people moving were the fighters. Once they were gone we re-opened our books. I don't think a mohawk would cause that much of a problem. And by the way, I'm in high school so it wasn't like I am talking about way back in the day or anything.

[Amanda]

James,
A hairdo ought to be "outlawed"? I can't believe you just compared a style of wearing hair to Hitler's regime, yet you believe a hairdo should be illegal. Oh, and bringing in the slaughter of Native Americans was a nice touch, too. Classy.
Also, we should create our own "expression of identity", as long as it doesn't offend James the Great, right? Is your bastardized version of punctuation your own "expression of identity"? Or are the period, comma, and semicolon keys all broken on your keyboard, and therefore must be replaced with inexplicable dashes?
Or maybe, just maybe, you need to lighten up. Don't worry, these kids with their mohawks aren't going to run all over your precious front lawn.

[james]

for once i agree with the school administrators---it ought to be outlawed for anyone who wears it---you all look ridiculous and ugly---talk about fanaticism and crowd-mentality---not that far away from what hitler and his followers used to do---also an insult to Native Americans, at least the few that were not slaughtered by your ancestors--and even they would have had too much class to dye their hair an ugly shade of blue--wake up people, we live in the 21st century, and that is a look and an action that is best not perpetuated---and that speaks volumes about who you are and where you are coming from--not really a badge of honor, although authentically American---too bad the rays cant make more money off of your hairdos, they could be even richer--why merchandise yourself for that organization? create your own expression of identity, that would be far more meaningful--rah rah blah blah

[Missy]

There really must be something wrong with the school board to let this happen. I see kids in my daughters class with their nose pierced and nothing has been done to them. Nor should anything be done to them, just like nothing should be done to this kid who is being suspended from school for doing nothing wrong. If anything the admin. should get in trouble for him not being in class getting an education. Go Rays and go Kevin and Jen!

[John]

hey stupid people! It's not the teachers, it's the principal. Most teachers I know could care less about a kid's haircut. What they care about is that the kids behave, pay attention, and have parents who know what the heck is going on.
Too bad too many don't have all three of the above going on.

[this is so lame]

my son attends public elementary school in an upper-middle class neighborhood in pinellas county. i would have asssumed that his school would be upset by mohawks....but THEY ARENT!!!! sooo many kids at school have mohawks. its adorable. the kids look great, showing support for the home team. heck, some of those lil guys had mohawks before the Rays even brought it up. Im proud of our school!

Hair. Thats REALLY important. GET REAL!!! Does anyone remember the kid that graduated valedictorian with the mohawk last year. He's well on his way to making WAY more money than any administrator. Get a clue, administration. Why not go after the kids that are really rotten and ruining the well behaved childrens chance at learning? Thats too hard for you to handle.

[FINALLY!]

This is disgraceful. Our school systems should have more pressing issues to be concerned with. They are doing nothing but trying to make an example out of this child. I am not a baseball fan of any team, never have been, never will be; however, I am happy that our area has something to be proud of right now and has something positive going on during otherwise bleak times. Although I don’t participate, I find it fun to watch the fans wear the team colors, show off their RayHawks, and cheer on the Rays. It doesn't happen often that the whole Tampa Bay area gets the opportunity come together and just celebrate something. My employer, a major Fortune 500 company, allowed employees wear jeans and Rays jerseys or t-shirts an one day each week, outside of our regular "casual Friday", to celebrate. That is what the "real world" does. (It always makes me laugh when school administrators try to say they are acting in the interest of preparing our children for “the real world” - HA!) If my otherwise conservative employer can relax the clutches of the dress code in the spirit of camaraderie and the team’s success, so can the schools.

With that said, let us all not lose sight of the most disturbing element of this story….this child lost a day of education because of a haircut...a HAIRCUT. How is punishing over a haircut a higher priorty than Zachary losing hours of education in the classroom?!? What is the matter with them?! The administrators should be ashamed of themselves.

schools are focused on the wrong thing ....thats why no one graduates anymore!!!

[Mike]

Obviously school administrators are RedSox fans!!!

Go Rays!!

If they make the World Series I will be sporting a RayHawk!!!

[Joe]

To those complaining about teachers...last I checked, teachers do not possess the ability to suspend a student. That would be the adminstrator. I am sure the teachers have more to worry about than hairstyles.

Edit: 6:07 haha hilarous

[Ernie]

We are talking about a public school. Aren't we? I'd like to read exactly what this school's dress code is regarding hair style. For all we know, their dress code regarding hair styles might be unconstitutional. This boy and his family might want to fight this one with a lawyer who looking for his/her 15 minutes of fame? I don't the mohawk look, but I don't see where it's offensive or even distractive.

haha 6:27.. hilarous

[NBTeacher]

"Our schools are no longer learning institutions they are concentration camps. Parents stand up for you children!"

Dawn,

Are you seriously comparing our public education system to genocide camps? If you truly believe this ridiculous metaphor then I am glad that I will never have your child in my class. Also, maybe you should less time on this blog and more time reading CNN or watching the history channel to educate yourself.

looks like the school has gone "full retard."

[Rodger]

Who is the person incharge of suspending chidren that come to school ready to learn? Is is dorothy's scarecrow? or is it just someone that has no common sense and just an unhappy person? hope it's the scarecrow since he still has half a chance.

My kids go to private school, so a Rayhawk is out of the question. My son has sported a very tall "faux-hawk" to the last few games and has been able to show support for our Rays. All it takes is a product called "hair glue" and some blue hair spray and you're done!

[Sharon]

I don't disagree with standards of dress, but during this time when the Rays are bringing the community together and giving us something GOOD to think about, I think schools and businesses should allow quiet support. Certainly a haircut is quiet. Thinking back forty years,when I was in school (in Indiana) boys wore ducktails and no one saw anything wrong with that.

[Red Sox Ricki]

This Devil Ray kid needs to learn early about discipline.

[go rays and mohawks]

Kevin, I am a teacher and I applaud you for pointing out the truth. I have more issues to deal with in my classroom than what a kid's hair looks like. I believe the problem is that schools are too large. Kids get treated like numbers. The admin. probably doesn't know your kid personally and therefore has to just process them through like a product on an assembly line. If schools were smaller, more admin. could get to know children on a personal level and maybe incidences like this would happen less frequently. :)

[Russ]

To the person who said mohawks = punks. People used to say that about tattoos and piercings. And black people were thought to all be dirty too.

[Bonnie]

I would much rather see the mohawks than those baggie pants ashowing the BVDS and cracks! Give the kids a break.

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Russ]

Skinheads are cool. Mohawks aren't? lol. What about Mullets?

Why do I get the feeling the kid will have some awesome tickets to the World Series?!

[BC]

Mrs. to poster 10:41,

"Both myself and my husband are in professional fields where we would absolutely lose our jobs if we showed up in a mohawks."

Your profession is obviously not writing. The sentence should begin with 'My husband and I'. 'Both' is superfluous because it is implied since there are only two people being referenced in the sentence. 'Myself' should have never been used in that sentence, but unfortunately many people don't know the proper use of the word.

[pascomohawks]

Appeal it! Especially to get the disciplinary action off his record.

I am a teacher and my son has been sporting a spiked mohawk for three weeks. He did it to see if he got a reaction from people, and he did. Mostly from me, but I decided to pick another battle instead. That one was too small to waste energy on.

He wanted to break the stereotype of an honor student and be different for once.

Three of my middle school students have had both mohawks and hawkmows...shaved in the middle, and no one has given a referral at my school. I guess rural Pasco is more liberal with codes than uptight worldly Bradenton.

[Dave]

I remember when being individualistic was considered a fine American trait.

Now you better look and act just like everyone else, or you're asking for trouble, buddy!

[Rsox]

Thanks Curt for a great laugh!

enjoy the next 4 games while you can.

Sox repeat

[tim]

Kevin, thank you for joining us and providing your side of the story.

[Jimmy Mack]

I was always taught in school to have civic pride in your community. I wonder if it would have been allowed if he was doing it for his school team...

[rick]

really,the school system here is pretty funny if you ask me.Let me explain.lets worry about a hair cut that supports r local pro baseball team.if the school system didnt know it every kid dream of becoming a pro ball player LET JUST SHOOT THE DREAMS DOWN.how about this all the kids in school should have sex with there teachers and join a gang i have to much this is just