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No suspension yet for color purple
Rochelle LaPlante arrived at Northeast High School for her second day as a member of the senior class, not knowing if she would be allowed to attend class or face suspension for her hair, which is a non-traditional color: purple.
On Thursday, when she arrived for her first day of classes, she was told her hair color was not acceptable, with specific reference made to her working in the school office as an aide. The implication was that purple hair and the school office weren’t a good mix, despite the fact that she is an excellent and well-liked student and perfectly capable of doing the job.
This morning (Monday), though, she arrived to silence from school administrators on the issue of her hair.
“No one said a word,” Rochelle said, noting that criticism was conspicuous by its absence. Rochelle moved through her day peacefully, including office time spend delivering items to staff mailboxes. “It was as if they didn’t even want to look at my hair,” she said. After all the hoopla over her color purple, “nothing happened,” Rochelle said. “At least, not yet.”
Kelly LaPlante, Rochelle’s mother, was pleased that Thursday’s verbal warning to Rochelle was apparently rescinded, but said she is “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” Mrs. LaPlante said she “would not be surprised to see the issue emerge again,” but this time as a change in dress code policy systemwide regarding hair color, with recommendations for uniform enforcement should a policy be established. Current school dress codes do not address hair color and leave judgments about appropriate dress to the “discretion” of administrators.
Mrs. LaPlante said that she and her daughter would have no problems conforming to a hair color policy that would be implemented enforced systemwide. “But the way it was presented to Rochelle last week was grossly unfair. That was selective and discriminatory.”
About Christine Anne Piesyk 
In my 40+ years in media, I have worked as feature writer, investigative reporter, editor, publisher, and film/theater/arts critic. I brought my liberal New England activism to Tennessee several years ago, having finally completed a mid-life undergraduate degree in community organizing and women's studies, and an MA in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Alzheimer's Disease. I served on Future Search Commissions for two colleges and on homelessness for the City of Northampton (MA), where I applied some of my undergrad work in urban planning and community development. I am a member of FreeThinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties. I am a certified storm spotter just because weather fascinates me. In my spare time (define spare time please?) I am a voracious reader, obsessive movie buff, ballroom dancer, and classical music junkie. I also create sci-fi/fantasy and renaissance costumes. I see life as an ongoing opportunity for learning and adventure (one current interest is mastering preparation of foods from India and Southeast Asia). My dream: a return trip to Machu Picchu. After all, the best things still to come. All posts by Christine Anne Piesyk as presented on Clarksville Online are copyright ©2006, 2007, 2008 to the author.
Email: womanspeak@gmail.com
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