Petition launched to stop forcible hair dyeing from natural color to black in schools

Petitions are good and all, but the bald headed dinosaurs who will ultimately decide don't care

My son has brown hair (daughter's is pretty much black). If they ever try to get me to dye his hair...

Well, they'll never get me to dye his hair.

One of my niece's was a victim of this many years ago (1990s). First she was accused of dyeing her hair brown, then when it was established that was her natural color, it was suggested she dye it black. She refused, and her parents supported her which was good. But it caused her a lot of anguish.

My oldest has naturally curly hair. He has gone through Tokyo public schools through high school. No hassles. My younger son has somewhat brownish hair. He has gone through Tokyo public schools up through his first year in high school. No hassles.

So fortunate that the schools my kids attend do not require hair dyeing, or even request a natural hair color certificate. Of course, they are haafu, but something tells me some dinos would not care about that.

My poor daughter had to straighten and color her beautiful natural wavy Italian hair just to get the teachers off her back even though school rules forbid student to color and perm their hair. Let's go people!!! Which rule do my kids follow; Don't perm and color hair or No wavy, brown hair? How about this one; Don't make kids feel ashamed of their natural family background and characteristics. Focus more on educating them!! ........Sorry for venting but it really broke my heart to see my daughter down over her having to change who she really is.

Absolutely shameful! And it's also kind of ironic that Japanese with black hair are often mistaken for being Chinese. My friend never dyes her hair or perms it and she is always asked if she needs help with directions, or people say "Ni hao!" to her.

On the day my daughter started high school there was a PTA meeting in the classroom, where we parents were given a list of school 'rules' - one of them being, no dyed or permed hair, pupils with brown or curly hair will be ordered to dye it 'back' to black/ straighten it.

My monster parent genes kicked in: I stood up and stated clearly that my daughter's naturally chestnut, slightly wavy hair would not be dyed or straightened, under any circumstances.

I think the form teacher was a bit taken aback but saw my point, and the message was apparently passed on to the rest of the teaching staff, as we had no hassles at all over hair.

1981, you shudda stood up. There are times when parents have to be monsters for the sake of our cubs.

Well, they'll never get me to dye his hair.

While they wont get YOU to dye it, they may very well try to get HIM to do it, and will put a hell of a lot of pressure on him to do so.

I hope your son is strong enough to withstand the problem IF and when it occurs!

I can understand not letting kids dye their hair all colors of the rainbow, but forcing them to dye their natural hair color to black is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard of here.

Funny thing is that kids in elementary school, dont get so much pressure to dye their hair, it's only when they hit JHS and HS that the schools try to force them to conform. I see plenty of ES kids with dyed hair here, and no teachers bitch about it.

since1981, I don't know you're story but you open yourself up to criticism by posting that story about your daughter without saying what you did to try to prevent it.

While they wont get YOU to dye it, they may very well try to get HIM to do it, and will put a hell of a lot of pressure on him to do so

It would be up to him. I’d support him if he dyed it, and I’d stand up to the school if he didn’t want to. They could never get me to make him dye it, but he could.

He’s pretty stubborn though. It will be interesting to see if it ever happens. I could see him being willing to put up the fight.

My son's hair is brown and curly. His teacher told him to straighten it, my son told him that wasn't going to happen. Teacher tried to grab his girls, got a hard rebuke from my son. School came to me to complain, I told them to grow up!

since1981, I don't know you're story but you open yourself up to criticism by posting that story about your daughter without saying what you did to try to prevent it.

Yeah, in the Age of Outrage, no one is allowed to do things in a way other than one that every other person on the Internet agrees with.

*curls, not girls lol

How is this even an issue in the 21st century? Rediculously backwards.

*Ridiculously

How is this even an issue in the 21st century? Rediculously backwards.

In a country that was closed for 250ish years and is nearly monoethnic? How is that backwards. In the past it would be a natural line of thought to bring everyone in line for their own sake, so they can be one of the group.

Now that it’s the 21st century, people are realizing the problem and talking about it.

cleo, therougou, clearly understand your points however I 'had' a wife (Japanese) that would never allow me to make waves in my kids school. One of the many reasons I used the word 'had'.

Been in Japan since 2008, love the country but this kind of thing makes me anxious about the future, no mine but the future of my kids (when I have them).

Can't stand the thought of giving all the love of this world to our kids, just to see them sad after being ostracized or even bullied by some kid with inferiority complex. Or the school. And when competition kicks in, you might imagine how the same faced japanese might treat a green eyed, light haired peer.

even though school rules forbid student to color and perm their hair. 

You dont get it, the rules are you have to have "black" hair, so it's ok for kids to dye their hair black, and get a straight perm too. That's not against the rules! (Sounds pretty idiotic right?)

I personally know a number of HS kids down here, that were on their school's swimming team. In summer time their hair turned red because of the chlorine in the pool, teachers literally had them on their knees, trying to force them to admit they "dyed" their hair, and forced the boys to get buzz-cuts, and the girls to dye their hair black.

Because EVERYONE knows Japanese "only" have jet-black hair! And EVERYONE has to conform, except the teachers of course!

I know female and male teachers as well, who dyed their hair, and they were in charge of disciplining kids who dyed their hair. It made absolutely no sense to me nor the HS kids, when the teachers told them, "Oh you can dye your hair any color you want, AFTER you graduate, but school rules state you MUST have black hair"

And people wonder why kids dont listen? There is no "law" on the books anywhere stating that kids can't dye their hair, and once my kids got out of Japanese schools into an "American" school, the only rule they had was no dying hair in any "unnatural" colors, and if you had any questions, talk to the principal.

None of the kids that went to the school dyed their hair. Not because they couldnt or anything like that, but because they didnt feel the need to want to stick out or be different, because of the way they were raised and educated. And THAT is the story!

Petitions are good and all, but the bald headed dinosaurs who will ultimately decide don't care

Yes, the people who run the schools here are troglodytes. I don't know what their hair has to do with it, though. Are you saying it would be better if they had more hair?

It irks me so much how the school system is suppressing kid's individual expression and individuality. The school system in Japan is what the socialists in America want for the US. They want government in charge, not parents in charge. In Japan, the parents have completely abdicated their role as ones who are supposed to take care of their kids and teach them values, instead have given that role to the schools. Kids are parent's responsibility, not any government-run school. To give that role and power back to the parents, the parents need to be in charge of the school as customers, which can happen through a school voucher program. Raising kids and teaching them values is parent's responsibility, not the school.

My daughter has very dark brown hair and looks very Japanese in general, aside from her large eyes. My MIL said they probably won't bring it up but if they do then we should dye it black because it will be embarrassing to my daughter to be different than everyone else.

At what point do we stop punishing different? Why is it bad that she's different? She IS different and it's perfectly normal to be different. Hopefully I can overrun my MIL's conservative influence and teach my daughter that the things that make her unique are the things she should treasure about herself.

International school here we come.

How dare any school demand the change of any student's natural appearance.

Acknowledging that people are different and showing a tolerance and acceptance to the diversity of human beings is by far a greater lesson schools should use this issue to teach.

Any teacher willing to enforce rules such as this should have their teaching licence withdrawn.

Sometimes Japan can be so primitive, but THANKFULLY there are people protesting this non-sense so THAT is good!

In a country that was closed for 250ish years and is nearly monoethnic? How is that backwards. In the past it would be a natural line of thought to bring everyone in line for their own sake, so they can be one of the group.

Jpn_guy answered your question adequately.

In a country that was closed for 250ish years and is nearly monoethnic? How is that backwards. In the past it would be a natural line of thought to bring everyone in line for their own sake, so they can be one of the group.

Actually the 220 years of "Sakoku" is largely an exxaggurated myth. During those 200 years, there was an extensive trading network and a huge black market, mainly through the southern States of Satsuma, but even as far north as Osaka. Okinawa back then as a colony of Satsuma, and Okinawa was a trading port connecting southeast Asia with Northeast Asia. Goods were constantly smuggled from Okinawa through Satsuma and up North all the day to Shiga. On top of that, throughout those 200 years, Dutch traders were still allowed to trade with Satsuma. Satsuma became not only a rich State, but also a very powerful one. It was a trading center, and a black market hub for smugglers. Osaka merchants and their network of pirates formed another black market hub in the North. So, no, Japan was never "closed off or isolated from the rest of the world". Even during those 200 years, trade and interacting with outsiders never stopped, it only shifted the center of power from North to South and enriched Satsuma, which enabled them to colonize the Ryukyu kingdom. It's similar to North Korea today. The country is supposedly closed, but there is a huge and active black market in North Korea.

Also, Japan is not a monoethnic society. There are at least a dozen different ethnic groups forming the modern Japanese people - Yamato, Chinese, Korean, Ryukyuan, Ainu, at least a million Brazilian and SA Nikkeis, lots of Half people, lots of mixed blood people.

If you want to dig down into the semantics of it, yes that is all correct.

And yet, my point still stands.

Weird. The natural color of Japanese is black, at least it is the majority color and Japan is a democratic society.

Clone society unable to cope with differences.

There are many students who want to and secretly change their natural black or blown hair to different colors.  If there is no rule like this, the students would spend lots ot time dyeing their hair colors.

Petitions are good and all, but the bald headed dinosaurs who will ultimately decide don't care

Perhaps they should be forced to wear a black wig

Petition signed....this is one of the stupid, outdated rules that has no place at schools in 2019. Noone should be forced to color their natural hair.

Never mind out-dated! It should never have been a rule in the first place.... at least not since hair dye was created!

Anyway, this is a great way to teach young people to be unaccepting and narrow minded! Shouldn't they worry about what kind of message they are spearing my demanding you change the way you're born???? It sounds like Hitler's ideology!!!!!!!!!!

Not only do my kids have brown and reddish hair, but they also have wavy hair and I told their schools right from the get go, there will be No dyeing and No straightening, it’s Non-negotiable and that was the end of that, never heard or seen anyone from the school administration. I refuse to join the collective or have my kids join in on that group is more important crap. It’s just insane and I’m glad to see more and more people taking a stand against it. If the kids hat tattoos, I understand, but hair dyeing? Absurd.

Let them have whatever colors they want, natural and not.

There couldn't be a single thing less related from learning discipline than hair color. wtf are they thinking.

Just wondering why the health risks related to hair dying is not mentioned. Especially on young kids.

They don't seem to bother kids with dual nationalities. So, all you gaijin out there worried about your kids, you should be fine :--)

I say get rid of the school uniforms and let the kids dye their hair any color they want to. It's school not the military!

cleo, therougou, clearly understand your points however I 'had' a wife (Japanese) that would never allow me to make waves in my kids school. One of the many reasons I used the word 'had'.

It all makes sense now, hah.

 In Japan, the parents have completely abdicated their role as ones who are supposed to take care of their kids and teach them values, instead have given that role to the schools. Kids are parent's responsibility, not any government-run school. To give that role and power back to the parents, the parents need to be in charge of the school as customers, which can happen through a school voucher program. Raising kids and teaching them values is parent's responsibility, not the school.

I think your view of the Japanese school system is about 30 years old. The problems with Japanese schools are more academic-related, and not much to do with values as you claim. Teachers no longer hold power over the parents. At least not where I live...

My monster parent genes kicked in: I stood up and stated clearly that my daughter's naturally chestnut, slightly wavy hair would not be dyed or straightened, under any circumstances

Good job, Cleo. But I think the real monsters are the ones that discriminate based on hair color.

the teachers get money from dye companies. needs to be looked into...….

Weird. The natural color of Japanese is black, at least it is the majority color and Japan is a democratic society.

Japanese natural hair color isnt solely black its also different shades of brown. Yes Japan is a democratic society, it gives people the freedom to choose their leaders, freedom to protest and protect their human rights. How is forcibly making people to change their natural hair color a democratic principle!?

 If there is no rule like this, the students would spend lots ot time dyeing their hair colors.

how is that going to affect their education!? maybe they should separate all girls and boy into different schools dont want them wasting time talking about the opposite sex, maybe they should ban all celebrities , cell phones pop culture. wouldn't want kids to waste their time talking about those topics also. Japan still has a way to go before it can really be called a modern free democratic nation.

Well done, P&G.

I still remember an old anime where kids had purple, blue, red, and green hair, but the kid with blonde hair was pressured to dye it a natural colour...you know, like blue ;)

Obey the school rules made by seniors and community, it's not like prison rules. If u don't like it, u don't need to change your hair color but u can definitely change your school.

And yet, my point still stands.

It's just a terribly valid point, it's more of a weak excuse that the Jaoanese trot out every time they are called out for acting like it's still the 19th century.

Obey the school rules made by seniors and community, it's not like prison rules. If u don't like it, u don't need to change your hair color but u can definitely change your school.

Are you aware of the process for changing schools in Japan?

Lets them be bold and also ask for the exchange students to dye their hair while in Japan and see how it works out for them.

Japan is simply terrified of being ashamed by other 1st World countries so my guess is that's not gonna happen.

and green hair, but the kid with blonde hair was pressured to dye it a natural colour...you know, like blue ;)

well you know many Japanese seem to be color blind as when the traffic lights change to "green" they actually say blue

Its terrible you hear bullying defended or not actively stopped when its amongst students but this from the institution itself just outrageous.

I believe I read somewhere that in the major cities as high as 1 in 5 kids are of some mixed background.

This kind of thinking just won't stand in the Japan that Japan is becoming.

A school or any institution thinking the answer is to ask people to change their natural appearance is simply bizarre.

Im a few years away myself from the issue but one of the first conversations, though very friendly, I will be having with any school my kids go to will be, bullying for any reason, but specifically around heritage, and mention of forced hair dying I will be having a not so friendly conversation with any teacher or students, and parents of students with or without the support of the school. Rather than having to fix this "uncomfortable" situation ensures it doesn't happen.

This rule has reasons and benefits like uniform does.  If you don't like the rule, change schools, that's all.

If you want to dig down into the semantics of it, yes that is all correct. And yet, my point still stands.

Stands on what? Far too many people, and it appears you as well, want to believe the mumbo-jumbo about the closed country, and ethnicity of all being one. It's not semantics either.

That's all trash, and if you want to "stand" on a garbage pile, you are more than welcome to, just wish you and others would get off the proverbial pile of trash and join the rest of the people who dont look at Japan with rose colored glasses!

This rule has reasons and benefits like uniform does.  If you don't like the rule, change schools, that's all.

So your argument is that conformity is the only way and change is wrong, even when it's the right thing to do, both morally and ethically.

Not to mention that it's certainly easier to say than do, public HS's at the minimum must change this stupid rule!

even when it's the right thing to do, both morally and ethically.

That is the point of this rule.  Hair dye or perm is forbidden.  If your hair looked brown, and the school cannot tell if natural or dyed,  it is understandable that the school demand dye black.

While I understand that the intentions of the school admin is to make students look uniformly alike (the nail that stands out will be hammered down saying and all that), but what about those who genetically look like that? I grew up in a school where guys can't grow their hair longer than a recommended length and would be disciplined when we grow it longer than that, it sucks. When can these older generations wrap their heads around the fact that people have different physical features. Yes, some kids do change their physical appearance according to their liking, but so what? It does not affect how they learn nor does it impede in their life. They should've focused on more pressing issues instead.

This rule has reasons and benefits like uniform does.  If you don't like the rule, change schools, that's all.

You missed the point. The rule is no dteing of hair, but the school's who set those rules force students without black hair to dye it, this breaking the rule. That's what's ignorant about this entire situation.

You are also clearly unaware of what it takes to change schools in Japan.

There are many students who want to and secretly change their natural black or blown hair to different colors. If there is no rule like this, the students would spend lots ot time dyeing their hair colors.

Rather than singling out a student for having the wrong appearance, they should require all students to completely shave their heads. That will they will look alike and think alike, more like robots even than now. Of course, it's hard for human robots to compete with actual robots, which never sleep, eat or get tired. But that seems to be what you want for the future of young Japanese.

If the intention of the rule were so evil, it did not exist for so long and so widespread.  You have to see the benefit of the rule that contributed preventing students from dyeing their hair. I think it is another anti-Japan exaggeration as if Japanese schools force natural brown color to black.

As many posters above said they refused their kids change hair color, but did not say that yet the kids were forced to change.  So in conclusion, they were not forced.

You have to see the benefit of the rule that contributed preventing students from dyeing their hair.

What benefit would that be, then?

When I was a teenager in the UK, I had great fun dying my hair all shades from strawberry blonde to deep copper. It didn't affect my studies or my grades in the least, and the school never made any comment. It was none of their business...

What benefit would that be, then?

Japanese kids and adults are better behaved and less whining? 

When I was a teenager in the UK, I had great fun dying my hair all shades from strawberry blonde to deep copper. It didn't affect my studies or my grades in the least

It may have affected your personality good and bad.   I'm sure many schools in Japan also allow it.  

the school never made any comment. It was none of their business...

I think it is their business.

Japanese kids and adults are better behaved and less whining? 

Hold on while I laugh my tuchus off at this. Less whining? Better behaved? Pure folly.

Yes but if we all stay calm....

You can tell.

 Less whining? Better behaved?

Japanese people in other countries try to assimilate. I don't think they demand the host country what to do.

tinawatanabe Today  10:21 pm JST

Japanese people in other countries try to assimilate. I don't think they demand the host country what to do.

Forcing students to put chemicals in their hair is simply inexcusable.

I can certainly understand rules prohibiting students from putting chemicals in their hair in order to change its color.

But forcing them to do it? That's really a human-rights violation.

This has got nothing to do with being Japanese or not.

Human beings forcing other human beings to put chemicals in their hair is just wrong -- regardless of their race or nationality.

Have you failed to grasp that the children of a lot of people commenting here are in fact Japanese? Now explain assimilate.

The children of a lot of people commenting here? like your kids? 2nd generations have strong influence from their parents cultures than Japan's, I guess.   If you have no respect to school rules. your children will feel the same.

well you know many Japanese seem to be color blind as when the traffic lights change to "green" they actually say blue

Only said by someone who has no idea about anything here in Japan. There is a very valid reason, and while you probably wont allow yourself to accept it, it's still there.

That is the point of this rule. Hair dye or perm is forbidden. If your hair looked brown, and the school cannot tell if natural or dyed, it is understandable that the school demand dye black.

You dont even see the contradiction here do you? Hair dye is forbidden, BUT it's ok to use hair dye!

If the school can not tell if it's natural or dyed, they should get themselves a new job. It is not that hard to tell the difference, and I can tell you that from experience. Not to mention all schools have a form that students can submit signed by their parents as well, stating their "natural" hair color if there is a problem.

And consider this, if the teachers can dye their hair, what right do they have to tell the students they can not? That is illogical and stupid beyond belief.

It's too hard for the establishment to accept change, that's it. They want total control, and can not give any of it up.

How does dyed hair affect one's ability to study and learn?

There are many students who want to and secretly change their natural black or blown hair to different colors.

If they do it secretly, who's to know? And what does it matter? If they change it to 'different colours' (green? orange? purple?) it's no longer secret, is it?

It may have affected your personality good and bad.

Nowt wrong with my personality.

People just need to stop obeying illegitimate orders. If a parent refuse to dye their kids hair and is supported by other parents and PTA, then there’s nothing the school can do.

As usual, this problem is rooted to the dino's and the ever coward society's mentality of putting appearance over content. Schools better put more effort in teaching kids than clamoring about haircolor, that way students don't have to go to this expensive schools to pass univ exams. Hair color doesn't have anything to do with the quality of knowledge or the person's values. I went through high school, univ, and grad school dyeing my hair to whatever color I want. Just because they have black hair and well-irones suits doesn't mean they are decent people, take our politicians for example.

 I salute P&G and the person who launched this campaign.

Why not give Disabled status to anyone who doesnt have Natural Black hair... as clearly for such a matter to require an enforcement order for Kids to dye their hair is either driven by discriminatory feelings, or a link to the manufacturer of Hair dye.

@cleo - as a self-professed dyer, have you had any noticable side-effects over the years of dying your hair ? If so, then you could stand forth as an expert witness to stop this insane demand.

Jenni

I can certainly understand rules prohibiting students from putting chemicals in their hair in order to change its color.

But forcing them to do it? That's really a human-rights violation

If the students broke the rule and changed their hair color, why is it a human-rights violation that the students must dye back to the original color?

 as a self-professed dyer, have you had any noticable side-effects over the years of dying your hair 

Apart from my hair being different colours? None at all. I don't dye it now because 1) I like the colour it is and 2) any colours that might suit me aren't available in Japan.

tina - the problem is children with naturally brown hair being forced to dye it black. The children have not broken any school rules, in fact they're being told by the school to break school rules - by dying their hair from its natural colour to black.

tina - the problem is children with naturally brown hair being forced to dye it black. The children have not broken any school rules, in fact they're being told by the school to break school rules - by dying their hair from its natural colour to black.

Do you have evidence in person?  Nobody here who criticize Japan's schools said their kids were forced to dye black.  There may be a few rare cases but it is wrong to advertize as if the entire Japan' schools are doing it.  I know  several HS teachers and they are having hard times managing classes. It is hard to believe teachers on the verge of nervous breakdown are forcing anything to students.

My former colleague (who is 100% wajin) has naturally wavy to curly hair. He once told me his sister came home from school in tears. She was told to get rid of her "perm".

She was told to get rid of her "perm".

Did she say it wasn't perm?   When was it?   Do you know nowadays students and parents are very strong?

Seriously Japanese society are so close minded when it comes to their citizens look/appearance/disabilities based on their assumptions and arrogance. When my mother was in high school she got 3/4 natural grey hair all thanks to her family's gene. Fortunately she was not forced to dye her hair. I have naturally brown, wavy hair and lighter than normal brown eyes for a Japanese and I am 100% Japanese. I'm glad my family left Japan when I was eight so, after reading this article it makes me wonder what will happen to me if I stayed...