Oklahoma Teen Refuses To Cut Hair

If its part of his Native American culture then he shouldn't have to cut his hair .I believe this is the case in all of the military based programs and should not be used as a form of puinshment.

If he didn't want to have his hair cut HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF TROUBLE!!!!
No one should get a free ride! Cut the kid's hair, finish the punishment and just maybe this 13 year old punk will learn that there are rules and consequences for your actions. It seems mom doesn't understand the "pay for play" in society!

It is not a new program. He was well aware about the shaved head thing. Everyone has their head shaved and not just the Native Americans.

Unless his culture encourages his type of behavior and that the things he is doing is peachy keen - then this is not about culture either.

This is about a kid headed down the wrong road and making him learn that there are unpleasant consequences to the things he is doing.

If they don't teach him now - we will see him in prison later.

If his hair meant that much to him he would have behaved himself.

if he gets his hair he will definatly loose his power

Hmmm...

smokin Peyote, and scalping is also part of his culture....duh

No, self respecting Cherokee I ever went to school with had long hair. Unless you were a girl!!!
Put that boy in any another school around the USA and he'll be beggin to get it shaved off!!!
This is an excuse to get what you want!!!!
I'm sure the other parent was a Stilwell student at one time in their life and remembers the fights of 13 year olds, it's never over at 13!!!
You go other mom for standing up for your childs rights...
Think of shaving your head as a war scar....

What's the deal!
Look at the length of his hair. It has been cut before. If he doesn't get a hair cut, than no other child that's sent to boot camp should be forced to have a hair cut. Let him come home with a head of lice and give to his family..

Just another fine example of I want equality but I want to be treated special too. BS. Is it part of the religion to punch his "FRIEND" and get into trouble in the first place? Equality is EVERYONE is treated EQUALLY. If every other kid sentenced to the program is required to get a haircut, so should this kid. Just another Cherokee's opinion, MINE.

It's going to get cut, Becuase it is what it is!!!!!!! If you don't want to cut your hair because your are a thug, then don't get into fights at school. You get away with that it will lead to something else....

plain and simple..... hair grows back

I believe this kind of thing has already been settled in the supreme court at one time or another. I don't believe they can make him cut his hair. The ACLU loves this kind of stuff

yeah, what they said!!!!! and make those other little brats burn their bibles too, because, obviously, there is no place for religeous beliefs at a boot camp for kids. and "The Ghost", you're a racist pig, along with most of the other folks that have left comments so far.

I bet he would get his hair cut if sean catron was his teacher

skyking wrote:

Just another fine example of I want equality but I want to be treated special too. BS. Is it part of the religion to punch his "FRIEND" and get into trouble in the first place? Equality is EVERYONE is treated EQUALLY. If every other kid sentenced to the program is required to get a haircut, so should this kid. Just another Cherokee's opinion, MINE.

People that confuse treating someone equally based on rights vs RESPECTING a persons religion or tradition irritates the fire out of me. This is not another case of wanting to be treated equally but wanting "special" treatment. The two are not of the same.

You can't impose on someones religion and personal preference and FORCE them to change when its not BREAKING THE LAW. So what if its a rule of organization its not the LAW.

I can guarantee you he WON'T have to cut his hair. Good for him standing up for HIS RIGHTS! His hair poses no threats to anyone.

Just FYI....Scalping and smoking peyoted are not necessarily a part of Cherokee culture anymore than shooting off at the mouth is part of any other culture. Many of the comments I've seen on here have nothing to do with the story and a lot to do with uneducated racism and stereotyping. Stick to the facts, please...

Ok, the way I read and understood this as:

Kid gets in fight at school with a "friend", "freinds's mom calls the police on the kid for punching her kid (excessive yes, but some moms are nazis when it comes to their kids) or maybe there's been other instances where these two have been fighting...don't know for sure. Ok, so the kid gets sentenced to boot camp, again, that tells me this kid has probably had some issues before...but we don't know for sure. Kid throws fit about hair getting buzzed, which, in about a year or two, it'll be nearly that long again. It should be shaved to serve as a reminder to him that there are consquences to actions...but that's just me. Anyways, mom says to not cut the hair, which tells me she doesn't care her kid got into trouble, life sucks so I'm gonna make a big deal outta this.....

Sam Bradford is Cherokee, his hair ain't long. My friend is Cherokee, his hair ain't long either. That's a load of BS, and the mom is just making a scene because she is bored and needs some attention.

I'm all for repsecting cultures and stuff, but when a kid is getting into trouble, and the fact that the punishment doesn't fit the crime, just tells me the kid has gotten into trouble for sure. They aren't making an example of him or picking on him, there's a reason they aren't saying why he got sent to bootcamp. Buzz his head, that to me seems to be the fitting punishment and a reminder to keep his little rear out of trouble in the future. I just get the feeling the kid don't get into trouble at home for doing wrong, so he finally gets caught and now he's all...mom save me!!!

There's so much more going on here....you don't just send a kid to bootcamp for a first offender thing. It took my little sister nearly a dozen times before they sent her there.....

Interesting wrote:

It is not a new program. He was well aware about the shaved head thing. Everyone has their head shaved and not just the Native Americans.
Unless his culture encourages his type of behavior and that the things he is doing is peachy keen - then this is not about culture either.
This is about a kid headed down the wrong road and making him learn that there are unpleasant consequences to the things he is doing.
If they don't teach him now - we will see him in prison later.
If his hair meant that much to him he would have behaved himself.

This is a thirteen year old boy. Boys get in trouble. I am sure that before he got in the fight, he had no idea that "his head could be shaved". If you are not Native you don't understand and cannot comprehend their deep feelings/beliefs/and traditions. I think he will suffer enough going through the boot camp without even having his head shaved. You can not judge want you do not know.

Irritated wrote:

<quoted text>
People that confuse treating someone equally based on rights vs RESPECTING a persons religion or tradition irritates the fire out of me. This is not another case of wanting to be treated equally but wanting "special" treatment. The two are not of the same.
You can't impose on someones religion and personal preference and FORCE them to change when its not BREAKING THE LAW. So what if its a rule of organization its not the LAW.
I can guarantee you he WON'T have to cut his hair. Good for him standing up for HIS RIGHTS! His hair poses no threats to anyone.

What religion????The I want long hair and I don't want to follow rules religion????? BS

skyking wrote:

Just another fine example of I want equality but I want to be treated special too. BS. Is it part of the religion to punch his "FRIEND" and get into trouble in the first place? Equality is EVERYONE is treated EQUALLY. If every other kid sentenced to the program is required to get a haircut, so should this kid. Just another Cherokee's opinion, MINE.

Eqaulity is everyone's culture being respected also.

The Real Clueless wrote:

Ok, the way I read and understood this as:
Kid gets in fight at school with a "friend", "freinds's mom calls the police on the kid for punching her kid (excessive yes, but some moms are nazis when it comes to their kids) or maybe there's been other instances where these two have been fighting...don't know for sure. Ok, so the kid gets sentenced to boot camp, again, that tells me this kid has probably had some issues before...but we don't know for sure. Kid throws fit about hair getting buzzed, which, in about a year or two, it'll be nearly that long again. It should be shaved to serve as a reminder to him that there are consquences to actions...but that's just me. Anyways, mom says to not cut the hair, which tells me she doesn't care her kid got into trouble, life sucks so I'm gonna make a big deal outta this.....
Sam Bradford is Cherokee, his hair ain't long. My friend is Cherokee, his hair ain't long either. That's a load of BS, and the mom is just making a scene because she is bored and needs some attention.
I'm all for repsecting cultures and stuff, but when a kid is getting into trouble, and the fact that the punishment doesn't fit the crime, just tells me the kid has gotten into trouble for sure. They aren't making an example of him or picking on him, there's a reason they aren't saying why he got sent to bootcamp. Buzz his head, that to me seems to be the fitting punishment and a reminder to keep his little rear out of trouble in the future. I just get the feeling the kid don't get into trouble at home for doing wrong, so he finally gets caught and now he's all...mom save me!!!
There's so much more going on here....you don't just send a kid to bootcamp for a first offender thing. It took my little sister nearly a dozen times before they sent her there.....

By what you have writted regarding your Cherokee friends, obviously they are not in touch with their culture. This family is, and I truly respect them for it.