What about a guy who decides to shave his head? Or wear his hair in a Mohawk style. Or a shag? What if he decides that a pale goatee improves his looks?
Does hair style and color or even wearing homemade ear rings really impede the learning process enough to lead to suspension? Students try out different looks for any of a couple of dozen different reasons, and then often revert to what society believes is within the range of "normal."
But, even if the students decide they like pink hair or wearing a headband, why should school administrators decide to reign in creativity and enforce conformity? Aren't there more important things to do in schools than to be the Morality Police?
Now, let's look at the enforcement of laws outside of schools.
In several states, it is still illegal for consenting adult partners to have oral sex. In several states, same-sex marriage is illegal. Should the nation be creating and enforcing laws that encourage voyeuristic Morality Police to look inside bedrooms and decree what is and is not acceptable?
Should this nation--or any nation--arrest and convict a gay couple who have "unnatural" hair color? And should this nation be building more prisons and paying more for incarceration for pretend-crimes that have no impact to the rest of society than for education?
In Georgia, Republican legislators have decided to allow freedom of religion. This seems like a good thing--especially since the First Amendment protects and advocates freedom of religion. But in this case, the law, which will probably be passed, bastardizes the intent of the First Amendment. That proposed law would allow businesses to discriminate against gays--as customers or employees--solely upon what a business owner claims is his or her religious right.
The law, as written, would also allow those who beat their children or spouses a "get out of jail free" card if they can prove that violence is acceptable in their religion, even if there are no churches or preachers.
Thus, in Georgia, it might be possible for a child molester to not be arrested, while a 16-year-old with blue-streaked hair be suspended or expelled from school.
And we--loyal and patriotic Americans--complain about the Morality Police in certain Arab countries?!
[Dr. Brasch is an award-winning social issues journalist, columnist, radio commentator, and the author of 20 books. His latest book is Fracking Pennsylvania, an overall look at the heath, environmental, political, and economic effects of fracking throughout the country.]
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