UPDATE MONDAY:
The parents of the Bosco boys with shaved heads confirmed today in a letter to the editor that ''neither the three boys involved or their families made any contact with the Leader or social media in regard to this issue.''
They said ''The college handled the matter in a discreet, fair and compassionate manner consistent with the code of behaviour and the values of the school.''
Wednesday story:
A Sutherland Shire teenager said his school ‘‘went too far’’ after it suspended him and a classmate for shaving their heads in support of a friend who has cancer.
The high school student, who contacted the Leader anonymously, said he was disgusted by the reaction of his school, St John Bosco College, Engadine.
He said after his friend was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, he and another male student shaved their heads.
He criticised the school’s actions when the boys were told to go home on August 24.
‘‘The school believed this to be contrary to a suitable haircut,’’ he said.
‘‘[It] frequently claims that it is a school that ‘prepares for life’ [but] clearly doesn’t understand that supporting others and helping people is one of the most important things in life.
‘‘It went too far.’’
There is no specific mention of hair length in the school’s code of dress, published on its website.
‘‘St John Bosco College has an outstanding record in the community for supporting those who need help, particularly those suffering with cancer.’’
- Catholic Education spokesman
Only junior students are expected to wear a cap or visor only in summer and on sports days.
All students, however, are reminded that ‘‘uniform should be of a standard that does not invite comment’’.
But a spokesman for the Catholic Education Office said the boys’ decision to shave their heads breached the school’s uniform policy.
‘‘The students were well aware of the policy,’’ he said.
‘‘The two boys were asked to go home and return the following day wearing their school cap or hat.’’
He said because one of the students had an assessment task that morning, he was allowed to stay to complete it so he would not be disadvantaged.
The spokesman said the students organised to shave their heads through their local football team ‘‘without any prior notification to the school’’.
‘‘It was not until they arrived at school that they provided any reason for why they had shaved their head, which they stated was to show their support a friend who has cancer,’’ he said.
‘‘As far as we are aware, there is no fundraising associated with the shaving of their heads.’’
But he said the college was always supportive of those in need.
‘‘St John Bosco College has an outstanding record in the community for supporting those who need help, particularly those suffering with cancer,’’ he said.
He said students and staff participated in the major fund-raiser, the World’s Greatest Shave, and had strong participation in Relay for Life which raises money for cancer sufferers.
‘‘Last year the school hosted the successful Guinness Book of World Records attempt for 24 hours continuous OzTag4Life Challenge,’’ he said.
‘‘The cause was to support a member of staff whose wife had died of cancer.
‘‘This is a community that is incredibly supportive of people who need help.
‘‘It is simply not the case that the college would not be genuinely supportive of any student or worthwhile cause, whether that student is at the college or not,’’ he said.
What do you think of the school’s reaction?
