In Mumbai, school starts after the summer vacation of almost one month, with the typical setbacks that a teacher faces, at such times. In a co-ed or an only boys' school, it is the long locks that boys sport. Or some outlandish hair style, like a mushroom cut or the designer stripes. The girls will have nail polish or mehndi on their palms, or hair cut in steps, which cannot be tied neatly at all. And each class teacher has to then advise and cajole the students to please keep the school rules in mind and follow them.
But students follow their role models that they watch on the TV and print ads. Children who act in hindi TV soaps, always have long hair. Boys then want a Reitesh Deshmukh style aka Housefull 3. Since schools are reopening after the long vacation, advertisements are aimed at students. A double page newspaper ad of D Mart, showing boys and girls in school uniforms, jumping with joy for new stationery and snacks and snack boxes and bottles and bags. But all the boys have quite long hair, and the girls have shoulder length hair, tied untidily in pony tails. Another ad of 'mindseed' shows a girl in school uniform with untied, shoulder length hair.
School rules demand that boys should have a very short haircut and girls' hair should be very short or tied up or plaited, because that helps to maintain a well groomed self. Besides it also keeps hair, lice free. Why do advertisers feel that boys with longish hair look good? They do not. It looks unkempt and untidy.
Very often, it is the parents that are to blame for this state of affairs. A father who is balding, cannot allow his son to get short haircuts. A stylish mom wants her school going daughter to look cute with a fringe and curls. As a teacher, I have to pull up the kids who have untidy hair, and end up as the villain, with the students and parents.
But students follow their role models that they watch on the TV and print ads. Children who act in hindi TV soaps, always have long hair. Boys then want a Reitesh Deshmukh style aka Housefull 3. Since schools are reopening after the long vacation, advertisements are aimed at students. A double page newspaper ad of D Mart, showing boys and girls in school uniforms, jumping with joy for new stationery and snacks and snack boxes and bottles and bags. But all the boys have quite long hair, and the girls have shoulder length hair, tied untidily in pony tails. Another ad of 'mindseed' shows a girl in school uniform with untied, shoulder length hair.
School rules demand that boys should have a very short haircut and girls' hair should be very short or tied up or plaited, because that helps to maintain a well groomed self. Besides it also keeps hair, lice free. Why do advertisers feel that boys with longish hair look good? They do not. It looks unkempt and untidy.
Very often, it is the parents that are to blame for this state of affairs. A father who is balding, cannot allow his son to get short haircuts. A stylish mom wants her school going daughter to look cute with a fringe and curls. As a teacher, I have to pull up the kids who have untidy hair, and end up as the villain, with the students and parents.
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