School HM took Tamil Nadu state by storm!! - no trendy haircuts for male students

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 That their 'clothes define the character of girls' is the general consensus of the educational  institutions in India.  This gender-based moral policing in schools and colleges has been in practice  across India   for some time.  Because of protests and objections from many quarters against moral policing, strict enforcement is not emphasized now. However, both male  and female students are advised to follow certain norms and dress code as a part of the autonomous rule code of the institution to maintain the dignity of the institution and the society.  Part of the reason is child-abuse and raping are on the increase in our society.

Spike haircut. wikihow.com/

As for school boys, they have to abide by certain code of conduct  and regulations observed by the schools and colleges.  A few days (vide New Indian Express, dated 12 Nov. 2019) ago a  School Master in a Tamil Nadu school did something that other school masters probably would have either overlooked or given a stern warning to the students. What  he did drew the attention of the media  and other schools across Tami Nadu and other states. The incident took place in Tirunelveli city, Tamil Nadu in the southern most peninsular India. 

No style hair cut here. newindianexpress.com

The HM's odd action shows that the thin boundary line between what is called 'moral policing' and 'discipline' is not blurred or vague, but is quite conspicuous. Not quite happy with his students' appearance as revealed by their weird haircut,  on Nov. 11 HM had sent a notice to all salons in the city requesting the hairstylists  not to offer trendy or stylish haircuts to school students.  He did not even leave other near-by areas like Courtalam and Chinthamani untouched.  It is apparent  that such haircuts like box cuts, one-side cuts, spikes, flat top, etc may spoil  the students' look and they become the subject of criticism and ridicule in the society, a sign of degeneration. The crux of the matter is  young boys want to appear more mature for their age;  many  assume themselves to be matinee idols and   want to look like them. With no consent from their parents,  they ask  hairstylists to change the hair-style to look similar to those  movie actors.

Different hair styles.  freepik.com

As mentioned at the outset of this post, it has been a normal practice among schools, etc to  imposes  regulations with respect to dress code, hygiene and hairstyles, etc, no body would have ever thought that the HM, who seems to be a stickler for discipline, would take so much pain to get in touch with  salon owners to  keep their hair- clippers away from  students  who wanted special hair-cuts. Apart from this effort, he conducted meeting with the parents and discussed the  hair-splitting issues of their young boys - trendy and fashionable  hair styles.  Justifying his action,  he said it is for their welfare.  The HM of the Government Higher Secondary school is of the opinion: “Disciplining students is not just the job of teachers, but also of the society. Hairstylists play a major role in transforming looks and habits of students. We request hairstylists to give students haircuts which are suitable to the environment and not of their (students’) choice.” ..........''This will help in personality development of students.''  

It is quite apparent that hairstyles reflect on the  character. The young boys want to be independent and don't take permission from their parents who expect them to grow as responsible people in the society.  So the parents and schools must take upon themselves the responsibility of changing the odd-looking hairstyles  unsuitable for school and college environments. Further, it is likely, that it may bring about a change in their behavior. The HM gets good support from many quarters notably the parents, saloon owners of this area and the DEO (District Education Officer). Kudos to the HM whose action may be an arbitrary one but  his dedication to job, commitments to discipline and responsibility toward  the society  come to the fore.  

cartoonstock.com/

That  ''a great hairstyle is the best accessory''  is true provided it is not irritating and an eyesore to the society. An odd one  does not give inspiration to character-building, rather it is a symbol of degenerating society.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/nov/12/no-trendy-haircuts-for-my-students-headmaster-tells-salons-2060399.html