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:: Barrie Student Banished for sporting Blue Hair ::

By Mike Montague

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Crosstown Realty Inc

January 27, 2008 02:30 AM

The hope when we send our children to school is that along with academic knowledge they will pick up some vital lessons to prepare them for adult life. The lessons learned this past week by the students of St. Catherine of Siena School in Barrie could be that political correctness supersedes expression of community or team passion and pride and that you can justify any action, how ever far reaching, so long as you attempt to affiliate peoples worst fears with it, (just ask George W. Bush about that)

Thirteen year old Adam Zussino who showed up for class last week with his hair dyed blue as his expression of support for his Barrie Colts PeeWee A Hockey team in their playoff efforts learned quickly that attempting to stand apart from the masses, regardless of how noble your intentions, is often a road paved with resistance from those who are unable to understand or appreciate your enthusiasm.

A 13 year old boy joining a gang and turning to a life of crime as a result of dying his hair blue for his local hockey team seems like a very big stretch of logic, but that was exactly the fear association that justified the orders to him by his school not to return until his hair look like the rest of the students once again. I am reminded of a quote by Nietzsche: "And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music".

Ironically, once the warmer weather returns, support will likely be granted by many of our schools to hold fund raisers in which swarms of students take over busy intersections to promote student car washes. I have more concern for those unsupervised students being hit by cars than of Adam Zussino leaving school and quitting organized hockey to join with the homeys in the hood.

The fears that the school board expressed and want us all to embrace is that gangs often have unique hair styles therefore any child with a unique hairdo such as Adam’s could encourage gang activity in the schools. Maybe I just don’t get out enough but the only time I see Blue haired gangs in the Barrie area is around 4:30 in the afternoon at Swiss Chalet or enjoying the early bird special at Golden Griddle.

The school board and this principal have yet to retract their position, however, given the media attention on TV, by Don Cherry and in many Ontario news papers, the lesson they may demonstrate to our impressionable students in the coming week might be; it is ok to reverse your position on something if you think there is even a slight chance to save face with the people of your community.

See stories in Toronto Sun >>Don Cherry's reaction Saturday's story

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Anonymous

Donny Todd

Everyone complains that schools don't do enough to discipline kids and then freak out when a school actually enforces one of its rules. The kid knew the rule. Maybe the hockey coach shouldn't be encouraging all the kids to dye their hair. Next time a player gets called for off-sides why doesn't Cherry start explaining how it is a special situation, he was on a really good break-away.

Jan 28, 2008 01:54 AM

Gail Reeves Reid

Re/Max Realty Specialists - Mississauga, ON

How about a compromise? What is not highlighted in this story is the fact that the rules were set by the parents, not the school. We may not be in agreement with the rules, but this student must realize school first, then hockey. He can spray his hair "blue" on the weekends and return to normal during the school week.

Jan 28, 2008 01:50 PM

Mike Montague

RE/MAX Crosstown Realty Inc - Barrie, ON

"Who Moves You?"

To update, Adam was allowed to return to class on Monday morning, blue hair and all. This was an issue that drew some very good arguments from both sides. Rules are meant to be followed I agree, but they also need clarification from time to time. Without the will or capacity to assess individual and previously unconsidered circumstances as they arise, rules would never evolve as they need to. Here are a few still existing Canadian laws I found that probably deserve a second look:

Any debt higher than 25 cents cannot be paid in pennies.

In Toronto, it is illegal to ride a streetcar on a Sunday if you have been eating garlic

In Nova Scotia you may not water your lawn when it is raining.

In Montreal it is illegal to swear in French. There is no such bar to swearing in English.

In Etobicoke you cannot take a bath in water deeper than 3.5 inches before you enter it.

In Ontario where the speed limit is 80 kph. or less , cyclists have the right of way.

In Winnipeg it's against the law to put your garbage in someone elses garbage can even with their permission

Jan 31, 2008 02:55 AM

Anonymous

Mike B

Donny Todd,

You are a disgrace to hockey, to where ever you live, and to the great nation of Canada. Be ashamed of yourself. The Charter states that you cannot discriminate against any individual or group based on colour. It does not specify whether it is the colour of the skin or hair. Also, a gang by definition, is a group of individuals who gather together to participate in mutual activites. Based on this definition I would find it hard to believe that you are not in a "gang" yourself, seeing as a sports team itself is a type of gang. The Charter also states that every individual has the right to association. This means that even if the boy were in a gang, he cannot be persecuted or prosecuted until he actually does something illegal with said gang. To continue on my proof-by-Charter, it states that one of your fundamental rights and freedoms is "freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression..." This is a clear violation of the freedom of expression portion. Even if the school disallows "outlandish" hairstyles, the Charter supercedes every law and rule and so said school rule becomes null and void since it infringes upon the Charter. Their is no proof that the coach encouraged the team to dye their hair. I am on a minor hockey "rep" team and the coach has never said a word of encouragement towards our dyeing our hair red. Does this mean that we worship Satan? No. All this signifies is that our team's colour is red and that we support each other. The same can be said for Adam's team. I certainly hope that you realise the fact that teachers and principals have very little influence in the behaviour of students. The school society works as follows: the students control other students. The older students keep the younger students under control and the older students dont bugger around because they are looking to their future. I call you a disgrace to Canada simply because you insult Don Cherry and his practices. I do not know you but I certainly know Don. He is about the greatest Canadian I know. He is a great person and he sticks up for what he believes in, no matter what others think of him. In my opinion he should be awarded the Order of Canada. I do not know you and yet I can confidently say he is a better Canadian then you will ever be. Personally, any person who tries to penalize me for my personal hair colour had best be ready for court because I believe in the Charter and the great nation that is Canada. Goodbye and Goodnight.

Gail Reeves Reid,

I am just as disturbed with you. You are clearly no fan of hockey so I will start by calling you unCanadian. My question for you is: Why should he have to cut off his hair when the weekend is over? If this becomes the case then shouldn't muslims have to take off their turbans in public after they have finished worshipping to Mekkah? Also, should the Jewish have to remove their kippah when they leave the synagogue? Or should Christians remove their crucifix's upon leaving the church? These things are the exact same as the story we are talking about. If you have answered yes to any of the questions i asked above then you should not call yourself Canadian. On my team we must pay approximately $200 for team jackets. Do you suggest that I only wear it when I go to games, despite it being my property which I may do with as I will? If this is so then apparently everything you wear is now "gang colours". Another thing I would like to point out that gangs are largely misunderstood. Many of the gang members which society looks down upon are highly intelligent men and women who have simply had an unlucky time. Goodbye and Goodnight

Feb 04, 2008 03:06 PM

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573

MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME

Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Heck an elderly woman has blue hair...why can't an excited hockey player working hard on the team to look like the rest of the team? My oldest son and the rest of his team going into the tournament for eastern Maine state finals last season, shaved their heads and looked like Spartans. They head into the arena with the fans, community and their school buddies hootin', hollering and cheering for the marine looking hockey players. The person that made the policy does not have any hair right? Tell 'em bald and "blue" is beautiful! Good post! Does your backyard look like this? Real Canadian hockey families have more than an orange rim and net in their backyard right? Like these ambitious folks to the left ?