Student Banned From School For ‘Unnatural’ Hair Color Is Allowed Back

Hurricane, UT – A student who was banned from school for having dyed red hair has been allowed to return.

Fifteen-year-old Rylee MacKay was asked to leave her class at Hurricane Middle School on Wednesday after the school disapproved of her hair color. MacKay was told she could not return until she had obtained a hair color that belonged “on the spectrum of natural color.”

The ninth grader was warned by the school she must change her hair by Monday, but her mother, Amy MacKay, pleaded with the school to give her a few more days to “let the old dye fade.”

Despite Rylee returning to school on Monday with her hair entirely unchanged, school administrators allowed the student back to class. A puzzled Amy, who defended her daughter throughout the dispute, said Rylee had barely touched her hair since being ordered off school grounds:

“All she did was wash her hair every day, like she always would.”

Rylee’s mom also pointed out that she and her daughter had taken a copy of the school’s dress code, which says “hair color should be within the spectrum of color that hair grows naturally,” to the hairdresser. The shade that was settled on was a mixture of natural brown and red, but school officials sent Rylee home for having “pink and purple” in her hair.

On Monday, Hurricane Middle School principal Dr. Ron Hoyt told ksl.com Rylee had “complied” with the school’s instructions, adding:

“Apparently, she’s washed it several times and it’s toned down.”

School or district officials seem reluctant to discuss the matter with Amy MacKay, who says she has been unable to contact Dr. Hoyt about the matter. However, she hopes this slightly farcical affair will encourage Rylee’s school and the Washington County School District to review its dress code. She said:

“There is absolutely ambiguity there that needs to be addressed. And they didn’t tell her not to dye it again … what’s going to happen six weeks from now? We don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward.”

What do you think of Rylee’s hair? Too wild for school or perfectly tame? Is hair color an issue schools should be overtly concerned by?