Mum says she will not shave son's Ronaldo-style hair off despite being told by Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey it is inappropriate
06:00, 30 June 2021
updated: 15:46, 30 June 2021
A school has told a mum to shave off her son’s haircut, after he was inspired to create a look rocked by footballer Ronaldo in the early noughties.
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Keen footballer Alfie Woodward, 14, from Sheerness, got a trim on Sunday that saw most of his hair cut off, apart from a fringe at the front - a style first made popular nearly 20 years ago.
Staff at Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey contacted Alfie’s mum, Mandy Woodward, on Monday morning to say they were unhappy with Alfie’s new look, saying it was inappropriate as rules state: “Tracks, tramlines, designs or steps are not allowed.” They also said it would be better if he shaved the fringe off until his hair grows back.
Mrs Woodward, who says Alfie was not sent home from Oasis Academy on Monday but fears he may be excluded or made to learn in reflection away from his classmates, argues it is not a design as there are no patterns in his hair.
The office manager is also unsure how she can rectify the situation before Alfie’s hair grows back, as she doesn’t want him to have to shave his hair off and there are few other options available.
She said: “He got his haircut on Sunday. It is shaved at the back, and he has got a fringe at the front.
“So it is completely shaved, with a fringe. There aren’t any patterns or anything like that.
“But the school has phoned and they said that it is inappropriate, and that I need to rectify it. I said ‘Well, it is not in your policy’ because I have looked through their policy and it isn’t in there.
“They said it comes underneath patterns but it isn’t a pattern. It is a fringe.
“They are saying the fringe needs to be cut off and I’m arguing with them about that at the moment.”
The 39-year-old says New Road FC footballer Alfie’s hair is modelled on how former Brazil footballer Ronaldo did his hair for the 2002 World Cup and is how he likes to express himself.
“Obviously, the football is on at the moment. It is like Ronaldo’s haircut.
“He is a huge football fan.
“It is not out of the ordinary. It is not multi-coloured. It is literally a shaved head with a fringe.
“I said if there was a female that decided they wanted to be a boy and shaved their hair like that, would they be phoning their parents to tell them it is not right? It is just the way my son wants to express himself.
“It is not disrupting anyone’s learning.
“If they want to say about his uniform, or anything else at school, they can dictate about that.
“But a haircut? I don’t see how it can mess up anyone’s learning and I am certain this style is not on their policy.”
But Ronaldo, now 44 who retired 10 years ago, admits he is not a fan of the hairstyle now.
“It was horrible,” he told Sports Illustrated. “I apologise to all the mothers who saw their children get the same haircut.”
He said the striking style had been cut in to distract from a leg injury he’d sustained.
In a statement, Oasis Academy said: “We take pride in all of our students and want to model and set high expectations for everyone.
'It is not out of the ordinary. It is not multi-coloured. It is literally a shaved head with a fringe...'
“As part of these, we have established behaviour and uniform policies in place, where the requirements around hair styles are very clear.
“Our staff, students and their families understand and follow these requirements that have been in place for many years.”
Oasis Academy rules also state hair must not be shaved below a Grade 2 - which Alfie’s is at the back - but Mrs Woodward says there is not much she can do about that now until his hair grows back.
But she added: “When the hair grows back, I know not to let him get it again."
