Hair color has school seeing red

A bright shade of red hair caused a stir the first day of school at Sussex Academy, enough that the sophomore involved withdrew from the charter school for good.

“We didn't think it was a big deal,” said Stephanie Lindquist, about her daughter Kierstyn Reed's bright red hair.

But the school, Sussex County's only charter school, saw it differently. Lindquist said her daughter was called out of class shortly after the school day began and was told her hair color was not a natural shade. Kierstyn was told that she could finish the school day, but she would have to dye her hair to a natural shade of red before returning to school.

“My daughter did not want to finish the day,” Lindquist said. Kierstyn called her mother to pick her up from school; they withdrew from Sussex Academy the next day and enrolled at Indian River High School.

Patricia Oliphant, director of curriculum and instruction for Sussex Academy, said the school has a dress code that includes hair color. She said the shade of red was not a shade that is found naturally. Oliphant said she was willing to work with the family to find an acceptable shade of red. “Magenta and fuschia are not naturally occurring,” she said.

Several teachers and administrators agreed that the shade of red was not natural, Oliphant said.

Sussex Academy enforces a dress code in order to put all students on a level playing field and create a professional atmosphere. “We believe it brings more of a sense of calm to the school,” she said. “We're establishing boundaries, and we believe students do well with boundaries.”

As a charter school, Oliphant said, parents and students make a choice to apply and attend, if accepted. By enrolling in Sussex Academy, she said, parents and students agree to live by the established rules.

Still, Lindquist said fighting over a shade of red – a naturally occurring hair color – is ridiculous. She refused to change her daughter's hair color because of the damage that could be done by overdying.

“Once you dye your hair, you can't just dye it back,” she said.

Lindquist said her daughter felt uncomfortable at Sussex Academy, and they felt they had little choice but to withdraw. She said her daughter has never had a school infraction, and her grades are strong. Kierstyn was enrolled in Sussex Academy's International Baccaleraute program, an accelerated academic program that she will be able to continue at Indian River.

“I'm not looking for publicity or money,” Lindquist said. “I don't want students suppressed because of the color of their hair.”

Lindquist said she has talked to the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware about pursuing a complaint against Sussex Academy. “It's considered pending,” she said.

The ACLU could not be reached for comment.