WILSONVILLE, Ore. — Sally Miller says she might have been grateful if a school employee had given her son a good haircut.

Miller, however, threatened to sue when her son returned home with "next to nothing" on his head.

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District recently agreed to pay Miller $10,000 because the employee cut the 8-year-old boy's hair without permission.

The boy, who is in the district's special education program at Cederoak Park Primary School, got the haircut Oct. 11. The case was settled last month, but its documents were not released until The Oregonian filed a public records request.

"First I was shocked," Miller told the newspaper. "Then I was embarrassed that I didn't have the money to get him a haircut. And then I was mad...I thought, 'What nerve. How invasive.' "

The single mother said she tried to keep her son's hair looking neat.

"There was one stinking day, and I'm not lying, that I didn't brush his hair," Miller said.

Superintendent Roger Woehl said Wednesday the employee was wrong to play barber.

"If someone needs a haircut, we'd be more than happy to go into our wallets to give them 20 bucks."

The district's insurance company paid the $10,000 settlement. Peter Mersereau, the district's attorney, said the district does not admit any liability for the hairdo.

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"We settled this case primarily because of the inordinate cost of defending," he said.

Miller said the episode has strained her relationship with her son's teacher and instructional assistant. She said her son has received an excellent education at the school and hopes it continues.

"There's still a lot of animosity," Miller said. "I don't want any more hurt feelings."

I`m sure the persons intentions were completly innocent and they were just trying to help but they should have gotten permission first.

Cut the kids hair without permission? Who are they to say what the kid should look like? At my school we have hair of almost every length possible and I don't see teachers going around cutting it all off. But for 10,000 bucks I wouldn't mind a bad hair cut.

I say good for her....a single mother needs to get a break like that once in a while...

People will sue for everything now.

Reminds me sort of when I was younger and my mother got mad cuz I wouldn't take care of my hair. I wanted it straight and strangy. She got mad cuz I got to where I wouldn't let her fix it and keep it curled. So she took me to the salon and put her finger at I think it was the nape of my neck and said to here. I was like no mom, it's gonna be a boys haircut. I cried and cried in front of everyone. Police officer getting his hair cut and he looked like he wanted to sooth me cuz he was giving that distraught sad look. When mom picked me up she was furious and says to this day that she wanted it like a bob haircut. A cute short bob haircut. That would had been fine but instead I had a boys haircut. Before that I had hair that was long, thick that I could sit on it. I couldn't beleive she did this and all cuz I wanted straight hair. I mean I think she meant boys cuz the woman was like 'do you mean chopped up to hear and all chopped off gone'? and my mom was like 'yes'. So yeah I think when she seen it and how they had to drive me to school cuz I wouldn't get on bus, then she felt bad. She felt bad? She had money? She could had bought me a a cheap or nice wig. Better than no hair. Then by time next school year came around, all the girls was cutting they're hair off. I was like 'ok'!!
My hari grows enourmasly fast so it took 2yrs. to grow it to top of my butt. Now I keep it cut up to half way down my back and everynow and then cut it short, knowing it will just grow long again.hehehe

I would be happy to take a buzz for $10,000! *signs up for ugly hair-cut*



The summer between my Fresh and Soph year in flight school at Purdue it was SOOOOOOOOOO hot. The airplanes we flew had no creature comfort like a/c while on the ground except for a little window. So the seconde week of June, I had my roommate buzz all my hair off.

I have cut childrens hair without parents consent before. But it was always comeone i knew. And i NEVER cut off too much like that!

That seems to be a bit of an extreme amount just for a bad haircut. I could see having them pay to get it fixed or something like that, but how can anyone justify $10,000 for a bad haircut? It's only hair it will grow back, trust me.

Take from a native...That's Oregon for ya...

I know this is Ancient History to most of you but when I was in High School we had a Dress Code that was very strict. Guy's wore Dress Slacks( no blue jeans allowed), Hair no longer than past the ear's, and Girls wore Dresses( no pants allowed except in cold weather, then you changed before first class). And Dress hem Lines had to go past the knees at all times.

And then came the 60's! And we changed all that! For the better? Who can say!