Parents’ anger after school warns them their son’s hair is too ‘extreme’ after it was bleached in the hot weather when they used ‘Sun In’
Teachers told the furious parents to "moderate" the eight-year-old's hair
A LAD has been told by his strict boarding school to "moderate" his hair - after it was bleached by the sun and became too light.
Logan Taylor-Johnstone, eight, started Year 4 last week with a similar hairstyle to the one he had last year - except for a minor and natural colour change and a longer fringe.
But Royal Alexandra and Albert boarding school say his hair is too extreme after it was bleached by the sun from his summer holidays.
His fuming parents Joe Johnstone and Joanne Taylor, both 32, were stunned when they received a blunt email from the £15,000 a year school demanding they change the lad's hair.
Joe, a business intelligence planner, said: "I am flabbergasted, I'm stunned."
He continued: "I have asked them several times what is extreme about his hair and they said the length and colour.
"He had the same hairstyle before he broke up for the summer and no-one said anything to me then.
"The only difference is that he's got a longer fringe.
"I agree it needs a bit of a trim, but it's not getting in his way.
"And I wouldn't have said blond is an extreme colour.
"He spent a lot of time outside over the summer and his hair always goes more blond in the sunshine."
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Joe and Joanne admit they used a product called Sun-In which amplifies the lightening effect of the sun on blond or medium brown hair, but they never expected to fall foul of school rules.
The school near their home in Reigate, Surrey, say that his hair is extreme because his fringe hangs below his face and brown roots are beginning to show.
In an email sent on Monday, they said: "According to our behavioural police Logan's hair is on an extreme fashion and we would recommend that his hairstyle is moderated."
In a reply to the letter Joe said: "Until a couple of weeks ago I sported the same hairstyle as him and my hair was perfectly acceptable for work in an office. I only cut it because I got too hot."
The school have since agreed to let Logan's hair colour grow out as he is unable to shave it off because that would also be considered too extreme.
But Joe, who has now offered to trim Logan's hair, is furious with the school's conduct, saying their approach was impersonal and unprofessional.
He said: "If they had said 'Just to let you know, Logan's hair gets in his way when he's working, could you trim the fringe?'
"I would've said 'no problem'.
"But going on about how it's an extreme fashion and extreme colour - I would consider having a multi-coloured Mohawk extreme or Nazi symbols shaved into his head."
Ines Salman, who sent the email on behalf of the headmaster, said: "The policy says 'children with extreme hair styles' and his hair isn't part of the uniform.
"His hair is bleached and is very dark between the roots and the bleached part is very light.
"He does have a very long fringe, it's difficult for him to work at school."
The elite school, which charges £4,785 a term, was recently rated 'Good' by Ofsted and upheld their policy claiming that uniform details are sent to all parents before pupils start.
Headmaster Mark Dixon said: "The policy about pupil appearance has been determined by the school's governing body and details are sent to every parent before a child start at the school.
"The policy states that 'hair may not be of an extreme fashion or extremely coloured'.
"It is my view that the request made to Mr Johnstone regarding the colour and length of his son's hair is entirely consistent with his policy."
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