School orders pupil to change his 'extreme hair' after it was bleached blond by the sun

A strict boarding school has ordered a pupil to change his hair colour and style - calling it too extreme - after it was bleached blond by the sun.

Logan Taylor-Johnstone, eight, began Year 4 last week with a similar hairstyle to the one he had last year.

But the colour of his hair was lighter from spending six weeks in the sunshine this summer.

Parents Joe Johnstone and Joanne Taylor, both 32, were shocked when they received a blunt email from Royal Alexandra and Albert boarding school saying their son's hair is too extreme.

The £15,000-a-year school demanded they moderate Logan's hairstyle.

Joe, a business intelligence planner, said: "I am flabbergasted, I'm stunned. 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."

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.

In an email sent on Monday the school 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 because 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."