The incident where a teacher cut a student’s hair with scissors due to hair dyeing has sparked a heated debate: “Why are teachers allowed to dye their hair, but students are not?”
In a conversation with Dân trí, Ms. Nguyễn Thị Vân Hồng, Principal of Chương Dương Secondary School (Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội), provided her perspective, emphasizing that teachers and students cannot be treated the same because different rules apply to each group, tailored to their age, role, and responsibilities.
Why Are Teachers Allowed to Dye Their Hair, but Students Are Not?
The school regulations are established based on Circular No. 32/2020 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) regarding the Charter for Secondary and High Schools. These regulations are also the result of an agreement between the school, parents, and students. When students violate these rules, they must be held accountable.
At Chương Dương Secondary School, the rules are clear: students must maintain neat hair, avoid bright or rebellious hair colors, refrain from painting their nails, and male students are not allowed to wear earrings to school.
At the beginning of the school year, during the parent-teacher meeting, we seek parents’ opinions on school regulations, including these specific guidelines. Therefore, we do not impose one-sided rules but rather follow a democratic process, creating regulations through discussion and consensus between the school and students‘ families. All parents agree with these rules as they believe it helps provide the best learning and development environment for their children. The students are still young and don’t necessarily need to dye their hair,” Ms. Hồng explained.
Ms. Hồng further clarified that teachers at the school are also subject to restrictions, such as not dyeing their hair in bright colors like yellow, blue, or red. Teachers typically dye their hair in more subdued tones like black or chestnut brown. This regulation, too, was established through a democratic process, and all teachers have agreed to comply.
According to Ms. Hồng, some students tend to dye their hair during the Tết holiday. To address this, teachers gently remind them, saying, “You’ll look prettier and more youthful with black hair; this hair color doesn’t suit your skin tone,” and the students usually change their hair color back without the need for harsh words or punishments.
Ms. Hồng shared a side story: once, she noticed a female student wearing tight pants that were inappropriate for school. She bought the student a more appropriate pair of pants and advised her not to wear tight clothes because it might draw unwanted attention from male students and lead to teasing. The student never wore tight pants to school again.
Understanding the Differences
Mr. Nguyễn Hải Sơn, Principal of Hải Lý Secondary School (Hải Hậu, Nam Định), also weighed in on the issue. He acknowledged that although the MOET’s circular on secondary and high school charters does not specifically prohibit students from dyeing their hair, each school can implement its own regulations.
“In my opinion, if dyeing their hair helps students present themselves better in an educational environment, it’s acceptable. However, if they are following trends inspired by negative figures on the internet, then there needs to be some control.
Students are like a blank canvas, like the white uniforms they wear. Maintaining black hair and wearing a pure white uniform symbolizes equality, with no distinctions, which is fitting for their age. If some students in a class dye their hair, it could lead to clear divisions,” Mr. Sơn observed.
According to Mr. Sơn, teachers are adults who can control their behavior, making it inappropriate to compare them directly to students. However, even teachers should choose subtle, elegant hair colors that align with their educational role.
“If a teacher dyes their hair in overly bright colors, students might mock them. Our school doesn’t prohibit students from beautifying themselves, but we do set acceptable limits,” Mr. Sơn added.
The Balance Between Regulations and Education
Ms. Nguyễn Thị Minh Thúy, Principal of Nguyễn Siêu Secondary and High School, emphasized that the regulations regarding students’ hair color are first and foremost based on the MOET’s circulars and school charters. These regulations are further shaped by the school’s internal rules, culture, and agreements made between the school, parents, and students at the start of the school year.
Based on these foundations, we require students to maintain neat hairstyles, avoid dyeing their hair, refrain from cutting or styling their hair inappropriately, and male students are not allowed to wear earrings. These rules are designed to ensure that all students have the best conditions to study, play, and develop themselves.
For teachers, we don’t strictly regulate hair color but expect them to maintain a professional appearance by avoiding overly bright colors and unsuitable hairstyles for a workplace. These guidelines have been clearly communicated to the staff, and any violation could directly impact their benefits.
We cannot compare teachers and students when it comes to hair dyeing because the regulations are tailored to suit the age and responsibilities of each group, with the goal of achieving the best educational outcomes,” Ms. Thúy concluded.
