Teen Suspended for Growing His Hair for Charity
We've seen students get suspended for violating their school's dress code before, but 17-year-old Zachary Aufderheide was actually doing it for a good cause. And yet, it got him thrown out of Canton South High School in Ohio anyway.
Aufderheide has been growing his hair with the intention of donating it to Locks of Love, a charitable organization that provides wigs to children suffering from medical hair loss. But, the teen's flowing hair violates the school's dress code and he was suspended until he agreed to cut it.
Still, Aufderheide is actively fighting the decision because he was once bullied and can identify with sick children. "I was picked on so I know where they're coming from. I know how they feel so I sort of sympathize with them because I've been there," he said.
Aufderheide is currently serving a two-day suspension, but he isn't sure what the school will do next. Regardless, it doesn't seem like the dedicated teen will cut his hair anytime soon.
"Personally, that would be admitting defeat to them. It would be meaning that I would just give up on what I view as important to myself. So this is more or less like a battle of my morals and my values, really," he said.
What do you think? Should the school make an exception in this case?