After junior Jim Stack’s request to grow out his hair was denied by principal Tonya King, the school board will meet Monday night at 7pm to vote on whether to reverse this decision.

“We have rules for a reason, and we just can’t go breaking them anytime we want,” King said. “The school would be in chaos then.”

The school’s dress code states that male students’ hair must not be longer than collar-length and must be of a natural color. King said she would be more than willing to help with a fundraiser as an alternative to breaking the dress code.

“Anyone can donate money,” Stack said. “But it takes time and dedication to grow your hair and donate it.”

Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that gives wigs to kids with cancer receives about 200 requests from families who cannot afford a wig for their sick child every month and has to turn down about 150 of those requests.

“We desperately need human hair for our wigs,”president of Locks of Love Gisel Roco said. “We refer the parents to other organization, but I wish we didn’t have to.”

When Stack spoke to Roco on the phone, she told him the best way to help Locks of Love would be to grow out his hair to at least 10 inches and donate it to make a wig.

“I hope the school board understands,” Stack said. “I won’t be hurting anyone when my hair gets longer.”

Stack agreed to tuck his hair into his shirt if he was allowed to grow it out. The student Council wrote a letter, signed by 350 students, to the School Board in support of Stack. They attached to the letter a list of 150 students who were also willing to grow out their hair; seventy-eight of the 150 were males. Bill Valdez, board president read the letter, saying it was well-written and had some good points. However, he made no comment on the issue.

“We will discuss it at the board meeting next week,” Valdez said.