Teachers Isolated Schoolboy for His 'Too Extreme' Haircut & Gave Him Week to Get Rid of It
Toby Quinn loved his new mullet hairstyle but was told to get rid of it by his school. Fortunately, he found a way to use his hair for a good cause and even got the support of some school staff.
Schools and other institutions often have rules and regulations for students to follow, keeping order, discipline, and mutual etiquette present within the grounds. Unfortunately, Toby Quinn's school had a rule that prevented him from keeping his hairstyle.
According to his parents, the school deemed their son's new haircut improper and gave him time to cut it according to their standards. Although this left the boy devastated, he found a way to turn the negative experience into a positive one and even helped others in the process.
A man getting a haircut at the barber. | Source: Getty Images
Toby Quinn Waited Months to Have His Mullet
For 18 months, Toby waited to grow out his hair to achieve a mullet hairstyle. When he finally had the hair length for his desired style, he happily flaunted his new do at school, only to be met by disappointment.
According to his mom, Naomi Quinn, St Aidan's Catholic Academy in Ashbrooke found her son's "extreme" mullet "unprofessional" and "unacceptable." They gave the teen a week to have his hair cut again into a more proper do. Naomi added:
"His teachers said they'd changed the haircut policy, and it had to go. They said that it wasn't professional, and he wasn't allowed to have it and was told to cut it off."
As a mother, Naomi didn't understand why her 15-year-old son had to look professional already and how the hairstyle was considered "too extreme."
The School Isolated Toby Quinn
To make matters worse, Toby was isolated from the rest of the school community for sporting a mullet. Interestingly, he had already experienced isolation for having a tapered or faded haircut in the past, but the rule about fades eventually changed.
Recently, Toby became the only student who sported a mullet, and because the school deemed it unacceptable, they placed him in isolation again. Naturally, Toby was devastated over the school's decision but still had to abide by their rules.
Toby's hair was used for a Newcastle Hospital Charity fundraiser, aiming to support the cardiac unit at Freeman Hospital.
Fortunately, Toby and his mom had a workaround for the unhappy situation and presented their solution to the school. In return, St. Aidan's gave Toby more time to get his haircut.
Toby Quinn Launched a Fundraiser
Toby's hair was used for a Newcastle Hospital Charity fundraiser, aiming to support the cardiac unit at Freeman Hospital. Interestingly, the ward provided his grandfather, John Scollen, excellent care for two months in 2022 while he battled a severe illness.
Learning of his charity case, St. Aiden extended Toby's time with the haircut while he pulled in extra donations. His mom, who is also a hairdresser, said:
"We told them he's decided to raise money, and they said he could have a couple of weeks."
A man getting a hair cut at the barber. | Source: Getty Images
Toby, who was at first angry at the school's decision, eventually came to terms with having to get rid of the mullet. His initial target of around $240 reached about $412 as of writing.
Toby's family was grateful to St. Mary's Primary and St. Aidan's staff members for giving donations in support of the charity.
A school bus parked on the street. | Source: Getty Images
Since Toby's story went viral on the internet, many social media users shared their thoughts on what the young boy had experienced. They called out the education system that prevented kids from freely and creatively expressing themselves.
One person pointed out that haircuts do not, in any way, affect a students' learning. However, putting kids in isolation does disrupt education and is not a practical solution to anything.
Screenshot of comments on LADbible's Facebook post. | Source: Facebook/LADbible
Screenshot of comments on LADbible's Facebook post. | Source: Facebook/LADbible
Meanwhile, other social media users shared their own experiences with school rules. One Facebook user claimed she would get sent home if she was not wearing the correct shoes. Meanwhile, another person had a batchmate who was isolated for bleaching their hair.
What do you think of the school's decision? Would you have reacted the same way as Toby Quinn?
In a similar story, a 15-year-old boy peacefully protested his school's dress code, which prevented boys from wearing shorts during the hot season. He made his parents proud and pushed the school to delay their final decision regarding the uniform policy.