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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
