By Brendan Kinney

“I needed a haircut for wrestling season, and the only time I had a chance to do it, was in school, during my lunch period.”

Nick Haegele of Randolph Union High School has just received two hour-long detentions, along with Lance Terry (the barber) for the shaving of his head in the bathroom during lunch.


An unusually bald head was easily noticed, and soon many students and teachers were joking about the one lock of hair that was left, that gave Nick a “Krishna” look. One person that was noticeably concerned was Mr. Albert Miller, the school principal. After locating the two students, he invited then into his office for an hour-long conference. There they debated about school policy, and the pros and cons of hair cutting in school. The two students emerged from the principal’s office hotheaded, and with two detentions apiece.

PHOTO? Shaved R.U.H.S student Nick Haegele wonders why he’s being punished.

“If I don’t punish you, then everyone will think it’s okay, and everyone will come to school and cut their hair.”- Albert “Duffy” Miller

“Our parents were called, and my mom couldn’t understand what the problem was, She wasn’t so sure why I was being punished.” The barber argued.

Principal Miller had an understandable concern for student conduct and behavior in the school. His reasoning was that the school isn’t a barber shop, and using it as such disrupted the school. According to the two students, Mr. Miller’s reason for their punishment was because, “If I don’t punish you, then everyone will think it’s okay, and everyone will come to school and cut their hair.”

The haircut occurred in the bathroom. The bathroom was left in the same condition it was found, and being there wasn’t breaking any rule. If Nick Haegele had come to school with a shaved head to begin with, it would have caused a disruption also.

Since both sides of the issue have reasonable arguments, which side “wins?” Is it wrong for students to cut their hair in school? Does Mr. Miller have the right to punish them for it?