School suspends kindergarten kid over mohawk

Particularly frustrating day today (but aren't most days before Friday?), not only for me... but also for 6-year-old Bryan Ruda.

Ruda is a kindergarten student in Parma, Ohio who was suspended today for sporting a freshly shaved Mohawk to school today.

According to the AP story up on Yahoo!,

Michelle Barile, the mother of 6-year-old Bryan Ruda, said nothing in the Parma Community School handbook prohibits the haircut, characterized by closely shaved sides with a strip of prominent hair on top. The school said the hair was a distraction for other students.

"I understand they have a dress code. I understand he has a uniform. But this is total discrimination," she said. "They can't tell me how I can cut his hair."

An administrator at the suburban Cleveland charter school first warned Barile last fall that the haircut wasn't acceptable. The school later sent another warning to her reiterating the ban.

Mohawks violate the school's policy on being properly groomed, school Principal Linda Geyer said. Also, the school district's dress code allows school officials to forbid anything that interferes with the conduct of education.

So...a kindegarten kid gets suspended for having a Mohawk...how punk rock is that?!

In honor of Bryan, we're happy to present another very rockin' individual...well, a couple of them actually.


The Weather Underground is readying for their March 12th appearance at the SXSW festival (Blind Pig Rooftop (317 E 6th Street)), and is out supporting their upcoming third EP. Having played alongside Veritas Lux Mea favorite Delta Spirit and other big names like Modest Mouse and Spoon, The Weather Underground are launching their own tour and will have indie gems such as Kelly Stoltz and The Whigs along for some tour dates.

Described by the LA Times, The Weather Underground "recalls a post-punk Kings of Leon, or the Walkmen soaked in Southern Comfort." Fans of Ted Leo will certainly appreciate the sound.

The Weather Underground - "How Many Operations (HMO)"

Upcoming Shows:

02/28 @ The Independent “Noise Pop” w/Grand Archives, Kelley Stoltz, Morning Benders – San Francisco, CA
02/29 @ Cal State – Hayward, CA
03/02 @ Downtown Brew – San Louis Obispo, CA
03/08 @ Modified Arts – Phoenix, AZ
03/09 @ Launch Pad w/The Whigs – Albuquerque, NM
03/10 @ The 806 w/Buck Brothers, Rademacher – Amarillo, TX
03/11 @ Double Wide w/Wild Sweet Orange – Dallas, TX
03/12 @ Blind Pig Rooftop (SXSW) 8:30pm – Austin, TX
03/14 @ Enchanted Forest – Austin, TX
03/16 @ Meridian w/Black Mountain – Houston, TX
03/19 @ Jake’s – Lubbock, TX
03/20 @ Plush – Tucson, AZ
03/22 @ University and 31st – San Diego, CA
03/24 @ Viper Room, Indie 103.1 presents – Los Angeles, CA

Visit The Weather Underground online