Friday, April 01, 2005

Rules are meant to be followed

Classes have ended two weeks ago and the school has never felt so quiet and not as nerve wracking as when the students were there. Ironical as it may seem, though,
I had been very busy lately with a lot of things that I have to be remiss with writing and bloghopping. That explains why I had been absent for sometime.

Every end of the schoolyear, students are required to have a clearance signed. This is to ensure that they have completed their requirements for the year. I am one of the signatories to this clearance. Now is the time for me to really make the hard headed ones miserable. You see, there are quite a number of students who just wouldn't follow the prescribed haircut. The standards are very clear. It should neither touch the ears or the collar. This is a more relaxed version since formerly, the haircut should yield a clearing of three inches on the sides and four at the back. The bangs should not touch the eyebrows but that's very easy. One can just apply gel and have it combed up so that it didn't.

Some of these students are just plain hard headed. They wouldn't have a haircut no matter how much I told them to. There came a point that I just have to give up on the warnings knowing full well that payback time is upcoming. What they failed to consider was that had they had a haircut early on, say, three weeks before classes end, then their hair would have grown to a good length during the summer. Now, it would really be a piss off when they have to have a haircut otherwise, they wouldn't be able to get their report cards.

But this is not the real reason why I'm writing this. You see, there are parents who really condone their children's every whim. There was this guy who came to my office this week who was asking me to sign for a kid's clearance. I asked him where the boy was and he said he was busy! Hmmm, something fishy. Thinking that he was the father, I told him that I should see the child first to make sure that he followed the rules. He said, the parents said they wanted him to have his hair long because they're taking him to the States where the weather is cold. "Sir, you see, I have told these kids to have a haircut months before and they wouldn't budge. It is my duty to ensure that they learn how to follow rules and regulations," I said. Showing his impatience, the man said, "And I have been telling you that the parents are the ones asking him to grow his hair because he's going to need it to shield him from the cold weather." I could've argued but since I thought he was the father and that his statements are rhetoric, that he was speaking in the third person to prove a point. I was not in the mood to argue so I told him that "okay, I'll sign it but please make sure that he understands that there are consequences to every action." He said, "Okay, I'll tell his parents!" Then I realized he was just an errand boy!
Obviously, I've been had! Lesson learned.

16 comments:

Svelte Rogue said...

hay naku, tito rolly!!! naisahan ka talaga. mabait ka pala, you give in to pressure. kung ako nakaupo don, baka na assassinate na ako. hindi talaga ako mag bu budge.

hello, malamig dito sa europe at halos kalbo anak ko. BS talaga yung e boy na yan. at yung mga magulang at anak! hay. kita mo na spoiled brat ang cino-coddle dyan. watch out for future headaches... :)

Dr. Emer said...

To have or not to have a haircut?

For repressed and rules-ridden generations of students like the ones you handle, I think haircuts have evolved to a level wherein they see it as their last bastion of freedom of expression.

For creative minds (most kids are, I'm inclined to believe), anything that tends to control is suffocating, and hence, has to be opposed. I believe you and your office are perceived as such. Your popularity (or notoriety, depending on whose perspective we're taking) is guaranteed for generations of students to come in the future.

{illyria} said...

sometimes, it's really hard to draw the line between condoning and understanding. but still, lying is not cool.

Romeo Moran said...

sir, i haven't been cleared yet due to tuition. but since you saw my hair already (and approved), am i still good? :D

Anonymous said...

hahaha...naalala ko tuloy noong elementary kame kapag bring your parents e inuupahan namin yong mga nagtitinda ng sago to act as parents namin...hehehe..alam no naman sa tundo..maliit palang e maloko ng ang bata....

joyce said...

tama si rogue, sir! BS lang yun...hehehe...naisahan ka? pero minsan kasi, specially if you've had a busy day, you wouldn't want to get into an argument anymore...rules are rules...whatever the reason is behind the regulation, for as long as one is still within the system, and would want to stay in it, one has to abide by the rules...you skirt around it, one way or another, you'll end up getting sanctioned for the same or even more grievous infraction...

tito rolly is one reasonable guy. that's why he's assigned to do what he has to do...with a lot of compassion and understanding.

Sassy Lawyer said...

Eh, Tito Rolly, bakit ba kasi may required haircut pa? Eh, parang laban yan sa freedom of expression ng estudyante.

Anonymous said...

There is a place and a time for everything. At school the students learn discipline and keeping to the rules. Being able to discipline oneself puts the perosn in good stead when the need arises and gives him a cutting edge if the other competing parties are not.

Keeping long hair for the sake of doing it is not creativity. If there is no valid reason (what could the reasons be when one is a student?), they are merely rebels without a cause. And when one's a student in high school, tis not the time to be such.

rolly said...

Svelte Seems like ganon nga nangyari. I wouldn't have budged either but my only concern is for a parent to know that his/her son should learn how to follow rules and regulations. I don't intend to engage a parent to a debate on how to discipline his/her child. If he/she decides to condone the child, that's fine with me. Actually, ano ba masama kung long hair? I had mine really long when I was in college.

Doc Emer I know what you're talking about kaya naman sa college, okay na kung gusto mong mag-long hair. The thing is in high school, you are being taught discipline and how to follow rules. Simple.

Transcience Precisely!

Pepseeh I don't exactly understand our question. If you've had your ;your haircut, then I guess you're good.

techguy matagal ng bumenta yang stroke na yan. Di na ubra samin. hahaha

Renan No,it's not. But part of the discipline in school is good grooming. I follow orders, too, you know.

Joyce Of course, it's just plain BS. Sino ba ang loser in the end? Ako o yung parent na mag co condone sa anak nya?

Sassy I can understand that. But since we're dealing with minors, turuan muna natin silang sumunod sa rules para pag mag break away na, medyo may temperance. Eto pa ang hindi ko maintindihan. Nung bata pa ako, dun talaga nauso ang long hair. Even guys had their hair reach until their waists. Ngayon, nauso na yung magpakalbo. Bawal pa rin samin. haha Hindi pwede ang skin head. Dun naman ako nagtataka. But I cannot question the rules. I only enforce them.

Bayi Well said, my friend. Thanks for making it clearer for my students who happen to read my blog. :-)

rolly said...
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rolly said...
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cathy said...

tirorolly,
dito uso rin ang kalbo. the police officers sport short hair cut. what are caps or bonnets for ?

I got shoulder length and very thick hair but i still have to wear something to protect me from cold.

batjay said...

parang revenge ng tadhana bossing. hehehe. dati kasi long hair ka rin. hehehe... tayo pala. sutil din ako sa mga ganyan and waiting until the last moment bago mag pa haircut.

pero in the end sumusunod din sa rules. kasi nga tama ka - rules are rules at dapat yung mga may isip ang unang sumunod.

pwede rin naman na compromise - tulad ng ginawa namin nung high school. tumawag kami ng dialog with the school officials about where the limits of the hair cut sould be. nababa namin from three fingers to one finger na lang. hehehe. small victory pero everybody happy.