Boy, 14, banned from school for having moustache

MrsMarsters · July 2nd, 2009, 10:56 PM

It is a rite of passage for teenage boys - the often ridiculed appearance of a first moustache.

But when Akaash Iqbal, 14, came into school with a slightly hairy upper lip it turned out to be no laughing matter.

He was sent home and told not to return unless he shaves it off. But he and his family say the school is overreacting over a 'bit of fluff' and refuse to remove it.

Akaash has now missed nearly two weeks of schooling and last night his parents accused the school of jeopardising his education.

His father Asif Mahmood, 42, said: 'It's a nonsense. He's not shaving - he's only 14 and if he starts now he'll have to do it for the rest of his life.

'They told us the moustache was not part of the uniform. I thought it was a joke at first.

'It is only a bit of fluff - you could hardly call it a moustache but he is just a child and shouldn't have to shave this young.

'They should make it a girls' school. I'm honestly staggered by it.

'I had a call telling me to have a razor on standby, shave Akaash when he got home and send him back.'

He added: 'I wasn't going to do that. He's just a growing boy. He'd end up with stubble all over his face by the time he's 16.'

Mr Mahmood said his son is still at home and he is due to meet school officials soon to discuss the matter.

The incident happened at Manchester Academy in Moss Side, Manchester. The charity-run school has a uniform policy that even staff are expected to comply with.

Akaash, of nearby Fallowfield, is a Muslim, so unlike Sikhs he has no religious reason to avoid shaving.

However, the teenager says he does not want to start shaving regularly at his age as it will ruin his skin.

He said all his schoolmates are supportive and have vowed not to shave if they are targeted by the teachers.

The schoolboy, who is due to take his GCSEs next year, said: 'They've embarrassed me and they've embarrassed my family. I was walking down the corridor to registration and one of the teachers took me into a room.

'I was made to stay there for an hour. They then told me that my moustache was against the uniform rules and told me to go home and shave it.

'I'm not shaving it at my age. It will ruin my face. I've got a GCSE to sit and am taking the rest of them next year but I can't go to school. It's just not nice. I feel left out.'

A spokesman for Manchester Academy, which has more than 700 pupils, said it was a standard requirement that all children are clean shaven.

She said: 'We do not believe it is appropriate to comment on individual students within the Academy.

'The Academy has established rules on personal appearance and dress which students are expected to adhere to.'

Boy 14, banned from school for having moustache... but his father says he's too young to shave | Mail Online

DolceVita · July 2nd, 2009, 11:01 PM

I knew this would be a UK story. I think 14 is way too young for facial hair but being banned is ott.
How can he be too young to shave if he is old enough to grow a tache in the first place?

buttmunch · July 2nd, 2009, 11:28 PM

Exactly. It grew, there are rules-even if they're kind of dumb (what harm does a mustache do)-so shave it and move on.

Grimmlok · July 2nd, 2009, 11:44 PM

bet they tell him to manscape his pubes next

NicoleWasHere · July 3rd, 2009, 02:21 AM

Didn't you know?? Facial hair in junior high school TOTALLY means you're in a gang, now.

DeadDwarf · July 3rd, 2009, 02:34 AM

I knew it was either a UK school or a private US school. My husband went to private Catholic school and he had to shave his moustache starting in the 6th grade, and he had a full on 'stache.

It was part of his school contract under "dress code"...

They couldn't make those rules in public schools though.

yanna · July 3rd, 2009, 02:44 AM

If he doesn't like it he can go to a different school. What is this crap? Uniform rules exist for a reason. There was a strict dress code in my high school and I followed it, I wasn't a special little snowflake.

buttmunch · July 3rd, 2009, 03:01 AM

Yeah, but a mustache isn't technically part of a dress code. I'm not sure what the big deal is but I do think he should just get on with it. I would love to know, though, the reasons for not allowing a stach. Is it too '70's porn for them?

A*O · July 3rd, 2009, 07:46 AM

Schools need to get with the times on this. Just as girls reach puberty much younger these days, so do boys. It's not unusual to find them in grade 6-7 with lotsa body hair, including their face. My son (14) has had a fluffy top lip for a couple of years now which he shaves when necessary. It's not because of any school rule, he just thinks he looks better without it. It's his call and he's an anglo blue eyed blonde. It's much more noticeable on kids from a latino or middle eastern background with darker hair and complexions.

Banshee · July 3rd, 2009, 09:07 AM

A lot of private schools have facial hair restrictions in their dress codes, along with piercings, etc. It's nothing unusual.

twitchy2.0 · July 3rd, 2009, 09:10 AM

But straggly teen'staches are a rite of passage!

Aella · July 3rd, 2009, 09:12 AM

The dress code is silly, but they knew that going in. Stop whining, and either chose another school or shave that ridiculous non-moustache off!

RevellingInSane · July 3rd, 2009, 10:40 AM

If it's part of the dress code, deal with it, adhere, and get over it.

kingcap72 · July 3rd, 2009, 02:18 PM

It's stupid to make a huge issue out of a moustache, but if that's part of the dress code then he should adhere to it. One of my old jobs had a policy of no facial hair, so I had to shave my goatee. It wasn't the end of the world.

ang · July 3rd, 2009, 02:22 PM

i don't understand any reason why facial hair should be banned. that school dress code sounds lame to me.