Show Support for Long Haired Kids! Hooray for Matthew Lopez-Widish

Update 3:

I took my fight for Matthew to KRON4 television in San Francisco today:

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Update2:

I just wrote Matthew through his MySpace to congratulate him on getting to transfer.  With his permission, I'm quoting his response to me.

Thank you Brian. Even though I am attending another school that will allow me to have my hair down, or up, which ever I prefer, I will still fight against Kerens. What they are doing is wrong. There is a prison in Texas that allows prisoners to have long hair...Kerens has stricter rules then a prison. To me, that's down right wrong. Teachers and admin. are supposed to show us how to accept different people, not tell them "Your different and because of that, you won't be as successful in life." I had a teacher who I really liked, I was helping direct the play, and was the lead in it, the teacher told me if I didn't conform to what Kerens wanted, I wouldn't get any recommendations for scholarships or colleges because of all this. Nice to see how people can turn. I thank you for your support Brian, I will continue to fight for the right that us kids and adults deserve.

I have a feeling we're going to be hearing good things from Matthew in the future.  Good for him.

Brian

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UPDATE:  Happy Ending!!!

From the Dallas Morning News:

Matthew Lopez-Widish, one of five students suspended from Kerens High School for not cutting their hair, has transferred to another high school that will allow him to wear his hair down.

After a disciplinary hearing at the Kerens ISD campus today, Matthew will attend Trinidad School, which is in another school district and about nine miles east of his current high school in Navarro County.

"They actually said he could wear his hair down," said Linda Lopez, Matthew's mom.

Whatever punishment Kerens ISD hands down, Trinidad School will have to honor all or part of it, Mrs. Lopez said. Kerens ISD Superintendent Kevin Stanford said last week that the students could face alternative school until they cut their hair.

Another student who was suspended, Derek Divetta, said he was thinking about following Matthew to Trinidad School. He still was considering the decision with his dad Wednesday night.

"I'm going to say that there's a good chance that I will transfer," he said.

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Okay, here's a story that's really making me mad.  Have we really not accomplished anything over the last 40 years when guys are still getting suspended from school for having long hair?

We need to start a movement to show support for Matthew Lopez-Widish and his friends in Kerens, Texas... not too far from Corsicana, home of the world's largest fruitcake factory.  I ain't makin' this up.

From the Dallas Morning News

KERENS, Texas – Matthew Lopez-Widish hasn't cut his curly brown hair in four years, and he doesn't plan to despite an ultimatum from high school administrators.

Matthew Lopez-Widish was told by Kerens officials to cut his hair before returning to classes, per the policy that forbids male students from having hair that extends past the collar.

A few days before Christmas break at Kerens High School, about 15 miles east of Corsicana in a tiny town known as the birthplace of Big Tex, the straight-A student and at least four other students were called into the principal's office.

Cut your hair by the time you return to school in January or be sent to alternative school, be removed from all extracurricular activities and risk not graduating, Matthew said the principal and assistant principal told him.

Classes in the Kerens district resume today.

"I told them that I'm not going to cut my hair," said Matthew, 18, whose hair, when uncurled, reaches the middle of his back. "It may seem kind of stubborn, but to me, it's part of who I am."

Matthew says that his rights are being stripped and that he's going to take his concerns to the school board meeting Monday.

"I just want the school board to notice that just because I have long hair doesn't mean I'm going to quit learning or obstructing people from learning," Matthew said.

There's some excellent video coverage of this from KXAS

From his Myspace Page, it appears he's an AC/DC fan.

If you think this sucks as much as I do, contact the Kerens High School District. at:

Kerens Independent School District
P. O. Box 310, 200 Bobcat Lane
Kerens, TX  75144-0310
Telephone:  (903) 396-2924
Fax:  (903) 396-2334
webmaster email admin@kerens.k12.tx.us

Seriously folks, of all the challenges facing American education today, why are we even talking about long hair other than schools are still more about power play mind games with kids than about actually educating them.

Comments

[Walter Scott]

First off, a couple of points that you might NOT like at all. So stop reading this if you are sensitive about Texas! But first, I AGREE 100% that this is ridiculous and should NEVER be allowed to happen. But logic goes out of the window in some places. With that said....

1) This is Texas, what did you expect? Kansas, Texas.....its all the same place. I'm serious.

2) It is apparently well within the rights of the admins to enforce a dress code, which includes body parts! He should go the "religious" route and take it to court. Just like a good ol' boy who loves his momma and poppa would do in Texas, just use God as needed. lol Again, Texas.

3) His friend, who faces the same problem is on the skateboarding team? How does that work, as a team "sport"? Sounds like a great school. That is'nt even a sport, just like golf or darts. You can add bowling to the list, too. So you should'nt be shocked that the same admin who wants these kids thrown out for long hair.....also allows something as stupid as a skateboarding "team". Yet again, Texas rationale at work.

4) Matthews mom said, ""It's not the '60s anymore. They aren't hippies, and they aren't radical anti-war tree huggers." Oh, so if they DID listen to Hendrix and love the environment, then the should be thrown out? She thinks like a Texan. lol Sounds like maybe mom is either a complete hypocrite or has no idea what she said. In other words, if they were doing something against school policy that was actually important (other than growing hair), then she'd agree with the district? I'm confused by momma.

5) And I want to know what they are doing with that donkey?

Ok, enough fun. As I said I COMPLETELY support these kids, with or without the idiots who surround them both at school and at home.

[Brian]

Walter:

Thanks for the comments. First let me say that I'm from Texas and while I understand your sentiments, I know that there are an awful lot of good reasonable people in Texas trying to live their lives while staying the fuck out of the way of all of the closed-minded bigots.

I'm just glad Matthew's going to get to go to another school where he can even leave his hair down.