A Tennessee child and his family were forced by his elementary school's principal to make a tough decision: to get rid of his military-style haircut, or face suspension.
Adam Stinnet, 7, showed up at school with a new haircut, a military "high and tight," a style sported by members of the military that features shaved sides and short hair on top of the head.
He did it to honor his stepbrother, who has served in Afghanistan, WZTV reported.
But the school said the style is a distraction, equating it to a Mohawk, according to Adam's mother.
Army Times reported that despite a letter telling the boy's parents that the haircut was unacceptable, Adam went back to Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School with no change to his hair.
Adam's mother, Amy received an email from the school's principal, and after a meeting, she was told that Adam would have to change the style before being allowed to attend, Army Times reported.
Fox News reported that the principal's email to the family said: "I have the utmost respect for the military and its members. However, we are not a military school and the boy's haircut is against the rules."
With little choice, Amy had Adam's hair shaved, WZTV reported.
Coincidentally, the school is named for Navy Corpsman David Robert "Bobby" Ray, a local war hero who was killed in action in Vietnam. He shielded a Marine from a grenade. The Marine lived, but Ray was killed. Ray was awarded the Medal of Honor, Fox News reported.
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