Published: December 04, 2006 02:14 pm            

Shave and a haircut? Not so much.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A high school principal could be in trouble for taking one of his students to a barber shop — without permission of the pupil’s parents.

“Students should not be taken off of campus by any staff member without parental permission,” said Rigo Chavez, district spokesman.

Rio Grande High School Principal Al Sanchez said he thought Fidel Maldonado Jr.’s hair style — the number “505” and a Zia symbol shaved into the back of his head — was a gang haircut. The Zia, a sun design on the state flag, can be traced to a symbol on a 19th century Zia Pueblo water jar. 505 is New Mexico’s area code.

Sanchez said he thought he was doing Maldonado, 15, a favor by taking him to a barber instead of suspending him. “I said, ’Do you want to just go to the barber and cut it off?’ He said, ’Yeah.’ I said, ’Let’s go,”’ Sanchez said.

But the barber, Jake Maestas, said he refused to cut the teenager’s hair Thursday without parental permission and told the boy to call his father.

Fidel Maldonado Sr. said the law was broken when the principal took his son off campus. He said he is considering legal action. “For him to take my son and take him out of school without my consent, against his own will, is wrong,” the elder Maldonado said.

It was not clear if the hair style was connected to a gang.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.