Dustin Reader, an eighth-grader at Garfield Middle School in Hamilton, Ohio, received in-school suspension for a haircut that, according to the local paper, was "in honor of the Cincinnati Bengals." His barber, Chris Campbell of the B Street barbershop Razor Sharp, cut Bengal stripes on the sides of Reader's head and a large capital B on the back to resemble the team's helmet, and on Sunday, he colored his head and scalp to match for the game. The colors were washed out for school on Monday, according to his parents, but he barely got off his bicycle at Garfield when he was sent to his principal's office.Moving pictures after the jump.
Apparently, it's against the school's code of conduct to sport "unnaturally colored hair, extreme/distracting makeup, haircuts and hairstyles." Reader's parents are confused by the decision since their son had previously showed up with various other wig trimmings that might be characterized as "extreme" or "distracting." The Journal News' Richard Jones writes that Reader previously "had a rose, a spiral and the word 'LOST' carved into his hair" and wasn't punished on either occasion.
And now that he's chosen to commemorate an event that may not happen again in his lifetime, Readers's been ostracized by the one institution that should be supporting his creative spirit.
"This is a way for him to express pride in the Bengals' putting up a winning season," Reader's father told the Journal News. "It's not racist, not drug-related, not gang-related or anything like that. It's about football."
This would never happen in Pittsburgh.
