Now this is going a bit too far and I hope that someone pays for this, either his job or a law suit because of this irresponsible act of the heavy hand. Today some children are going to school with locks, turbans and other religious attire then was this child deprived of his right to carry his hair how he wants it if others can make arguments of their religion. This kind of corporal slave master type of behavior must end, just like flogging children with bamboos or straps thick in size. This has nothing to do with a child learning anything if a child disobeys there are other methods that can be applied.
This upsets me because we have come of an age where tolerance and the rule of laws has changed and therefore 2012 this should not been happening today, because of our old fashioned 50 years ago mentality does not apply to our modern day society. Let’s us go forward with more positive communication for our children and leave out this callous attitude towards our young. The fact that his hair was cut were not enough punishment but you suspended him as well what kind of inhuman thing is this, we must learn as a people to respect others and their cultures because it has nothing to do with our children’s ability to learn.
Call me ignorant to the fact but I still stand by my words that this is not the way for a developed country; had that child been white I would really like to see what would have been the out come, instead of notifying the parent of this child Someone took it among themselves to break the law in my opinion inflicting child abuse on this student. We must stop this kind of incidents once and for all;  it has too many slave connections of taking away one’s right and then showing no mercy after the punishment.

Seriously Jeff Broomes? As though you were not having enough problems already.

If there was a problem with this child’s hairstyle the parent should have been notified and be able to deal with it herself.

Jeff is tired of his job and should just resign instead of holding on so stubbornly.

I find this is a bit much .......I think it is time people look at the bigger picture with or without a haircut that student is the same person…..Sad thing is these older folks are the ones that were wearing HUGE Afros back in the day and plaiting it at night and combing it back out in the morning. So long as the hair cut was neat I think the principal has acted outside the bounds of what a principal should be allowed to do!

I think this is overstepping his authority now. If the school has issues with a particular hair style they should bring it up with the parents, not forcibly cut the child’s hair.

This is just crazy.  Why not focus on what academic progress the child is making instead?  Is he doing his homework?  Is he understanding the course content?  Stop being silly…ya’ll.

We are seriously losing it as a country. I am no fan of Mr. Broomes, but if the Principal decides a hairstyle is not suitable then it is not. Who’s running the school, the principal or the parents? There was a time when they took the cue from the headmasters.

No teacher has the right to cut a child hair especially when its not an emergency, they are so many issues with Jeff Broomes at that school which the public do not know about, his treatment of staff and other things, why is it that the child was suspended on Wednesday, after the parents went to the school on Monday, why not then on tuesday, why after it was mention in the paper on wednesday they found a reason to suspend the child…. and listen to the teachers and what they have to say when they speak, hopefully this will help open the public eyes and see something have to be done at the school for the benefit of the children, it is not Jeff Broomes school, it’s the Alexandra school and something needs to be done when he thinks he is irreplaceable and can treat others how he like.

Oh Lord! Here we go again.  Why Broomes cut the boy’s muff?  Was the boy not properly groomed?  I would like to hear the WHOLE story before I comment any further.

Mr. Broomes spoke to this young gentleman on three occasions and it was also discussed with the mother. Why is this making the front of the Nation paper? It was the mother’s responsibility to cut his hair and she did not do so “because he has been wearing it for years”. Does that make it correct? Certain styles are not allowed at school but some parents allow their children to do as they please and then find it necessary to report to the Nation when their kids receive the necessary disciplinary actions that they couldn’t find the time to give. Then we wonder what is wrong with our children today….the parents are no better.

Mr. Broomes, you are a man I respect and admire for your commitment to education and other aspects of quality of life in our country; however, if the reported event is a fact and you are directly responsible for taking such drastic actions for something as minuscule as the wearing of a muff, then this is where I will draw the line!

I understand the need to bend and/or shape the branch while the tree is young; however, care, consideration, timing and the use of the correct tool(s) must be taken into account when doing such, otherwise the possibility of breakage is imminent.

If you are indirectly responsible for the mentioned incident (you are responsible for whatever takes place on your watch), then you need to investigate the occurrence and take the appropriate action swiftly!

The principal and entire staff of a school were transferred this week in the USA.  Different circumstances yes, but it shows that those in authority do their job, they don’t play. I am simply using this as a forum to make this comment. I am restraining my comment on the subject matter until later.

Marc Menard your just outdated. What era are you living in? I’m surprised you even know how to use a computer. I wish that was my kid….i’d beat Jeff like like a redheaded stepchild.

I guess if this principle was bald headed, does that mean all kids under his care be the same, it is time this principle realizes he is not running an army boot camp, but an educational institution, and as such should do the right thing step down from his post as head teacher and apply to the Barbados Defense Force where he can bark out his orders and throw anyone in the brig who refuses to comply.
A child’s right to an education should not be determined by the length of their skirts, pants or hair, but by their capacity to learn, I went to the Cawmere University with an afro, and always had a muff when my dad cut my hair, it did not impede my ability to learn, this Principle is out of control and should be relieved of his duties, it has gone on too long, I understand he may be trying to bring discipline to this institution, but he has gone overboard in his zealousness to achieve that, not only has he thrown out the bath water, but also the baby, the towel and the soap along with the bucket.
Look closely at Syria where its head leader believes he is right to cling to power and to hell with what anyone thinks meanwhile the people (Teachers/kids) suffers. some persons just clings to the illusion that they have the eternal right to rule others no matter the costs or the fallout it brings.

I apologize, Didn’t realize it was forced on the child.

A few things here :

1/ I fully support the principal and stafff of a school setting hairstyle and clothing guidelines.

2/ I fully support that when a child and parent/guardian is warned about appropriate wear and their breaking of any rules and they do not comply in a reasonable time that they be suspended.

3/ I however cannot support the forcible cutting of the child’s hair.

4/ I am not surprised by this sort of alleged behavior by Mr. Broomes. But I am surprised that it seems that he even when the flood lights are on him cannot behave. To be a disciplinarian one must have discipline.

5/ I wonder which teacher was “willing” to follow his order.

Cut his hair and suspend him as well!  If it is indeed true that a member of the teaching staff cut this boy’s hair then that is indeed a strange way to deal with the situation.  If hair style is part of the deportment of the school and the boy had been warned and his parents had been informed the appropriate action would be to suspend the boy along with his hair.  I would love to hear the full story though. There has to be more to it than this. It is strange that other boys at the school have the same hair style and they have not suffered the same fate.
.

I do not have an issue with the child being suspended from school as he was warned on more than one occasion.

If the parent and the child are unwilling to comply, simply suspend the child.

THE PRINCIPAL HAS NO RIGHT TO CUT THE CHILD’S HAIR OR ISSUE A DIRECTIVE TO ANYONE ELSE TO CUT THE CHILD’S HAIR.  HE IS TOTALLY OUT OF PLACE.

The funny thing is that I was actually siding with him in the recent issue/s with his teaching staff but I now have to wonder.

I give you an “F” Mr. Broomes.  You had no right.

I am deeply, very deeply disturbed by this story. I do not have access to it in its entirety, therefore I cannot cast blame one way or another.

If this child was abused his parents should seek legal counsel. Whether it was a fellow student or an employee of the school that cut the boy’s hair, they should not go unpunished.

This goes to show the colonial control and abuse that is ‘delivered’ to students on a daily basis in Barbados.

Now you see it?! You see where the anger of those in authority go in schools? Weeks of anger has now been unleashed!!!

Parents! Open your eye-balls! Pull up your pinnas!!

Abuse of our young people CANNOT be tolerated!!!

First thing first, they is a whole lot more to the story than the public knows, thankfully, the parents know regardless of whatever lies broomes has to tell, they have the support of teachers. This is a child who does well in school, does not give trouble, wears the same hairstyle as some other boys at the same school, broomes and the teacher that he instructed to do it is wrong on every level, broomes claim to be so hot on discipline yet he has none, how can you instill this in children when you cant show none as an adult