A private school in Ballarat has swung a metaphorical axe into the hearts and hairs of its student by banning mullets. An absolute knife in the back of Australian sartorial culture, if you ask me.
St Patrick’s School recently added the mullet to its list of “extreme hairstyles” as part of its new 2022 uniform policy. Justice for the Spacey Jane and Tame Impala TikTok boys of Ballarat! Let them listen to Triple J and wear Birkenstocks in peace!
Also, I don’t think a hairstyle can be “extreme” if literal hundreds of people across the nation have it. The only hairstyle at this point that could be reasonably labelled as extreme is perhaps a bowl cut.
In the uniform policy, St Patrick’s says: “Hairstyles can be a very individual way of expressing yourself and are often influenced by fashion and trends.
“With this in mind our general expectation in regard to hairstyle is that it be neat, clean and not extreme in style or colour so as to draw attention to the individual student.”
I’m sorry guys but I think the world has bigger problems than teenage boys expressing their personalities with hair.
Also, the school’s definition of “extreme hairstyle” is just straight up racist IMO.
Along with mullets, rat tails and mohawks, cornrows and dreadlocks have been labelled by the school as “unacceptable”.
Once again guys, it’s 2022. We really should be past all of this absolute bullshit.
According to the school’s policy, students can be asked to go home if their hair doesn’t fit the rules.
A spokesperson for the school said it stood by the policy, as per News.com.au.
“When a student enrols at the College, parents and carers sign an agreement acknowledging and agreeing to this policy,” they said.
The mullet ban (#FreeTheMulletAndAlsoAllOtherHairStyles) has garnered controversy among the local Ballarat community.
In a series of letters to the editor published in The Ballarat Courier, some Ballarat-ians defended the decision.
“It is always so pleasing to see students from any school, walking the streets of Ballarat in their uniform and well groomed hair and I fully support St Patrick’s in their stance of ‘no mullets’,” one wrote in some deep Boomer energy.
Another commentator criticised the move — and private schools more generally — as antiquated.
“The crazy rules [private schools] impose on students are merely symptomatic of a fundamentally flawed, class based system,” they said.
Parents of boys at the school were also pissed off at the rule which was changed two weeks before term starts.
“A lot of parents are not happy the boys are not being supported to explore their individuality, however still be respectful and tie hair up for school,” one parent told The Courier.
“It’s suppressive and after the last two years of anxiety our children have faced, not necessary. The focus on the mental health and education of our youth seems to be taking second place to college image.”
And honestly? Fair fkn point. High school students have had a rough bloody go of it the last few years and I say let them feel the wind through their mullets (or whatever other hairstyle they wish).
As aptly put by another parent: “in a society where we are striving to celebrate diversity and inclusiveness, it’s a disgrace.”
Well said, my friend.
PEDESTRIAN.TV has reached out to St Patrick’s School for comment.
