Controversial school regulations under scrutiny

[thomas]

I remember that a few years ago a Japanese high school girl in Osaka was forced to dye her (naturally) brown hair black to comply with school regulations. Unfortunately, this wasn't so unique. Now at 22, she still pursues her case that's now reached the Supreme Court. She is not alone: parents have been suing schools, too. When the colour of shoelaces and underwear matters...

Every school has its rules, but tough regulations at some Japanese institutions, mandating everything from black hair to white shoelaces, are facing increasing criticism and even legal action. Toshiyuki Kusumoto, a father of two in Oita Prefecture, is seeking court intervention to protect his younger son from regulations he calls "unreasonable". They include rules on hair length, a ban on styles including ponytails and braids, prohibition of low-cut socks and a stipulation that shoelaces be white. "These kinds of school rules go against respect for individual freedom and human rights, which are guaranteed by the constitution," Kusumoto told AFP. Later this month, he will enter court-mediated arbitration with the school and city, hoping authorities will revise the rules.

Black hair, white shoelaces: Japan's school rules under fire

Every school has its rules, but tough regulations at some Japanese institutions, mandating everything from black hair to white shoelaces, are facing increasing criticism and even legal action. Toshiyuki Kusumoto, a father of two in Oita Prefecture, is seeking court intervention to protect his...

japantoday.com

"Japanese people have been taught to believe that it is a virtue to simply abide by the rules," she said. "I hope this will be an opportunity for people to discuss what we should do to create a society where rules are observed in a way that's acceptable to everyone." The debate over strict dress codes intensified several years ago after a high school student, then aged 18, sued education authorities in Osaka after her school had told her to dye her naturally brown hair black or face exclusion. Last year, the Osaka district court rejected her claim that she had been forced to dye her hair, but said the removal of her desk and name from the roster after she stopped attending classes had been unreasonable. It ordered the board of education to pay her ¥330,000 [£2,152] in compensation. Last year, all public high schools in Mie, a prefecture in western Japan, abolished rules governing hairstyles, underwear colour and dating, with local officials conceding that the requirements were "relics" from a different age.

Tokyo schools cut controversial rules governing hairstyles and underwear

Public high schools and other educational institutions will drop five regulations, including one requiring students to have black hair

www.theguardian.com

 

[musicisgood]

Next will be pierced ears.

 

[Petaris]

I hope those rules all die forever. Its one thing to have school uniforms, and even a rule against dyeing hair. But when that extends to having to dye your naturally not-black hair black just so you match other kids it is out of hand. All of my kids would have been at risk for that, not one has black hair like their mom. Let me tell you, I am usually a go along type of person but that would have railed me to the point of telling the school to go f**k themselves with something spiky.

Also, the underwear color, I mean how does that even get put in place without someone saying "Don't you think its a bit questionable to be lining up minor girls to look at their underwear?". If that happened here there would instantly be an investigation to find out if the person in question was a pedophile, and even if they weren't they would never work at a school ever again.

The color of shoelaces I could understand if there was a specified uniform for the school. Honestly, I'm not against uniforms in school. It probably does a fair amount in the way of removing otherwise obvious financial disparities between kids. Though I have heard that the uniforms can be very pricey.

 

[mdchachi]

I bet they didn't force the "half" kids to dye their hair because they're supposed to be different.

As for underwear, I guess there must be swim class or some way where underwear color could be seen? (I mean aside from whatever hidden cameras the principal is using.) Just think of the furor that would arise if somebody was found to be wearing Hello Kitty undergarments!

 

[Lothor]

I hope those rules all die forever. Its one thing to have school uniforms, and even a rule against dyeing hair. But when that extends to having to dye your naturally not-black hair black just so you match other kids it is out of hand. All of my kids would have been at risk for that, not one has black hair like their mom. Let me tell you, I am usually a go along type of person but that would have railed me to the point of telling the school to go f**k themselves with something spiky.

Also, the underwear color, I mean how does that even get put in place without someone saying "Don't you think its a bit questionable to be lining up minor girls to look at their underwear?". If that happened here there would instantly be an investigation to find out if the person in question was a pedophile, and even if they weren't they would never work at a school ever again.

The color of shoelaces I could understand if there was a specified uniform for the school. Honestly, I'm not against uniforms in school. It probably does a fair amount in the way of removing otherwise obvious financial disparities between kids. Though I have heard that the uniforms can be very pricey.

Pricy? We've just paid 14 man for my son's new HS uniform. I'm sick to death of being treated as a cash cow to satisfy other people's vested interests.

 

[musicisgood]

Pricy? We've just paid 14 man for my son's new HS uniform. I'm sick to death of being treated as a cash cow to satisfy other people's vested interests.

That sounds like what it cost at a private school. Which the wife had to dish out and a monthly fee.

 

[Lothor]

That sounds like what it cost at a private school. Which the wife had to dish out and a monthly fee.

It is a private school but the monthly fee is much less than that.

 

[musicisgood]

It is a private school but the monthly fee is much less than tha

I forgot how much the monthly fee was, but does 50000 yen a month sound right?

 

[johnnyG]

I guess our two girls were lucky--no shoe/shoelace requirements, I didn't hear about any underwear checks, and I think ponytails were generally an option. (The other day, after this thread started, I was on a bus, and five of the seven high school girls I could see had ponytails--uniforms ID'd them as from the best high school in town.) Also no dye-it-black rules. Winters here are slightly colder than other places, and thick tights were the norm.

School fees ran about ¥25,000/month. Around here, there are private high schools, but I think the deal is that if they follow the 文科省 prescribed curriculum, they get subsidies/funding so the cost is almost the same. Some of the pre-uni testing is school-based (free), a parallel testing course run by Benesse that they did probably cost extra (as did school trips).

Cost also depends on chosen club--some are cheaper than others (our younger one was provided a saxophone for the band). One local friend once relayed a story that theirs had joined the kendo club, and after spending quite a bit on the necessary kit, they quit the club...!

 

[Lothor]

I forgot how much the monthly fee was, but does 50000 yen a month sound right?

Slightly less but not far off.