Schools Gain Common Core - Lose Common Sense

This post actually has nothing to do with Common Core. That's a topic for another day that will involve some extensive research. No - this particular post is about the loss of common sense in our schools today.

A 9 year old girl named Kamryn was sent home from her Grand Junction, Colorado, school yesterday because of her dedicated friendship to one of her classmates.

That's not the reason the school gave but that's what happened. Officially, Kamryn was sent home for her "distracting" hair style... or lack thereof - a violation of the school dress code. Kamryn recently shaved her head in support of her friend Delaney, who is battling neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, and recently started chemotherapy.

Delaney's hair has fallen out and Kamryn, to show her love and support for her friend, shaved her head so Delaney wouldn't be the only girl in school with no hair. She had the approval and support of her parents who, it seems, were unaware it would be a violation of the school dress code.

Delaney's mom told the local news station she was surprised Caprock Academy refused to let Kamryn in because of the dress code.

"I didn't realize that hair was such an important aspect of a child at school," Wendy Campbell said. "For a little girl to be really brave and want to shave her head in support of her friend, I thought that was a huge statement and it builds character in a child."

Exactly.

Caprock Academy president and Chair of the board of directors, Catherine Norton Breman, said the dress code "was created to promote safety, uniformity, and a non-distracting environment for the school's students. Under this policy, shaved heads are not permitted."

Apparently common sense is not permitted either.

As for Delaney - she was happy to have her friend's support but saddened by the school's reaction.

"It makes me sad because she was really happy to go back to school and show people what she did, but now that she didn't get to, she's kind of sad," Delaney told reporters. 

I can understand the school writing a dress code that prevents kids from having extreme hairstyles. It is a private school, after all, and they are normally more strict when it comes to students' appearances. That said - nearly every set of rules has exceptions - or should have in cases where the person violating the rule is a nine-year-old acting in a very grown up manner and doing something for her classmate and friend out of the kindness of her heart. At least in this case.

Kamryn's mom says she is meeting today with school officials to try resolving this issue. In the meantime Kamryn was invited back to school this morning. Let's hope common sense prevails.