In the past few years, there have been changes at Riordan High School, from improvements to the gym and soon, the field, and there have also been changes to the dress code policies.

    While students are in favor of the improvements to the athletic venues, some are not happy with the revised hair policy, which requires that students’ hair be no longer than one inch in length, and corn rows and/or braids are now prohibited.

    Dean of Students Juan Zumbado ’98 said the policy is not completely new. “A form of hair policy was established LONG ago. We simply updated and made it somewhat stricter.” He added, “I am seeing a vast majority of students in compliance with the hair policy.”

   Davin Lin ’99, counselor for the freshmen and seniors in the House of Pilar, said, “I think it depends on how you look at it, and as a counselor, I sympathize and empathize with students and I understand that for them it is a strict rule.”

    He continued, saying, “If we were to consider the policy as a positive thing, it is because just like anything, you have to make sacrifices to be part of something you care for especially.”

   For reference, Lin cuts his hairs once a month for a price of about $25 to $30.

   Hubert Yi Bo Wang ’20 does not see why this policy needed to be implemented.

   He said, “All students on campus are of different races, and as an Asian student, I have straight hair, which even when cut could still appear long in the eyes of others.”

     Expanding on this, he said, “We came to school to study, not to be disciplined for hair.”

    Zumbado said, “The policy to have a student cutting their hair does not aid in academics per say. It does contribute to a ‘culture of expectations and responsibility’ that helps build young boys into men. Wherever our young men go after graduating from Archbishop Riordan the odds are fair that expectations of some kind will be placed on them. For example, if some of our young men choose to serve in the armed forces (as some have already stated they will upon graduating) they will be required to cut their hair. Employment in a number of different fields may require certain expectations to be met in regards to appearance and grooming.”

    In addition, Zumbado said, “Grooming may make the difference in attaining gainful employment or in entering a rewarding and fulfilling relationship. This is always underscored when it comes to discussing grooming but it does not change the fact that it is true. We should not just want the success of our young men only when it comes to academics; we want them to be successful people.”

   Meghan Grady, Associate Director of Residential Life, said she has noticed some changes in student behavior. She said, “I think some parents expect their student to follow the rules as a civilian (outside school), and many students who came from summer vacation did not expect to face the issue of cutting their hair because they considered it to be part their body.”  

       But, she added, “Students need to follow the rules of the school as well as they follow the rules in the search of success.”

      Riiny Giir ’20, said, “They are changing our look according to what they want it to look not like, but students want to do their own hair style. They want us to have a short, specific hair style.’’

        His cousin, Chan Mayuot Ngot ’20, cuts his hair for $20 every month. He said, “Some institutions will ask you to cut your hair depending on how you display it. We have have had case where people had dreadlocks and the profession they are in don’t allow them.”

  Chan added, “So, I also understand the school is trying to prepare us for the upcoming jobs, but at this point l think we should just keep our hair.”

    This year, Zumbado, who shaves his head “every other day and spend(s)  less than$10 a month on Schick Xtreme 3 razors,” said there are no students that he knows of who have left Riordan  because of the hair policy. “In the last seven years that number is less than 10,” he said. “I also keep a record (per year) of which students were asked to cut their hair and a time to comply by. The number for this year, to date, is about 27.”

    In fact, “As of today (Oct. 23) and including through the summer, when the initial notice went out to our families, my office has not received one single complaint about the hair policy from families,” Zumbado said.  

    He continued, “This conveys to me that the policy has wide support from our families. I have received phone calls; comments when I am off work in the community from alumni and graduates of other Catholic high schools; emails from our alumni, all commending us for raising our standards if ever so slightly. Parents have called stating that they are ‘relieved’ and ‘elated’ that their son has to cut their hair.”

    Math teacher Anne Freeman agrees, and said, “I think it’s important to set a standard. Students don’t like it, which is understandable, but part of my job is to check hair and I write lots of detention for hair.”

    Zumbado noted that, “Students get warnings (verbal and written); detention; and are sent home as is written in the handbook.

    In addition, “Thus far I have written two formal warnings stating that if the student did not have his hair cut by a certain date that they would be sent home. This was done after the students had received multiple verbal warnings, a call home, and detentions. Both students have since complied.”

       Still, students want the freedom to control their hair, considering they have control over so little else right now.

    Riiny said, “I need to enjoy my young age, have my hair according to the way I like it. They want us to represent our community in a nice way, and I think that’s why they want us to have short hair. We are still teenagers and we want to enjoy our life.”

    Zumbado understands this, but notes that his children, who are Costa Rican and Polynesian, have closely cropped hair, and that their ethnicity does not determine or denote their pride in their culture.

    “My children will derive self esteem by completing work of value in classrooms and within our family. They will gain self esteem by learning things of value and applying them to the world around them. They will gain self esteem by being loved by my wife and me.”

    He continued,  “They are being taught that how they present themselves to the others will help determine how others treat them. They are being taught that much of this is in their control. If my children learn this, and presentation includes this, I feel I will have succeeded as a father.”