School Warns Oakdale Student That Blue Hair Is Unacceptable

OAKDALE (CBS13) — A high-school student says been told if she shows up to school with turquoise locks, school administrators will keep her out of class.

Cayley Elswick takes geometry and history, but now she's getting a crash course in the Oakdale School District code of conduct on hair color.

"I do my work, I'm respectful to teachers, I think I'm a good student and not a problem student," she said. "The only problem being my hair, of course."

She is a shy yet strong-willed young lady who likes to color her hair.

"I feel like it's ridiculous that I would be separated for the color of my hair," she said.

Elswick says administrators at Oakdale High School are threatening to send her into all-day detention if she doesn't change her dyed hair to a natural color.

The district did not immediately return my messages.

"I'm isolated from other kids and put into the room to do work that I probably should be doing in the actual classroom," she said.

The district's code of conduct on hair is listed online. Cayley's mom has asked the school board to change it. Chris Elswick says the district's hard line on hairdos it says bring "undue attention" is missing the point.

"We're trying so hard to build some self-esteem in our kids, especially our girls these days, and when you tell them they don't look right? They should be normal? What kind of example is that setting?" she said.

Cayley circulated a petition signed by 200 students to change the district's code of conduct rules.

"A lot of them have had to change their hair already, so they're kind of supporting me in this," she said.

Now her school district is ready to hand down punishment for the lone hair-color holdout at Oakdale High.