The festive season is over, but the “quirky” haircuts remain.

Senior students in several schools have been reminded of the guidelines and asked to keep their hair trimmed and colour it black.

Some schools have sent messages to parents to ensure that their kids were “well-groomed”. One school sent back students when they turned up with a “weird hairdo.”

“We do not allow students with fancy haircuts or streaked hair. Messages were sent to parents when the students returned to school after Durga Puja and Diwali. The parents were told that the students should be well-groomed and in proper uniform when they come to school. The hair is part of the uniform,” said Gargi Banerjee, principal, Sri Sri Academy.

Despite the notice, some students turned up with fancy haircuts. The class teachers sent notices to their parents, said Banerjee.

“There is a trend among boys to sport a beard but we do not allow that. We reminded the students to get rid of it after the festive season,” said a teacher at Sri Sri Academy.

Fancy haircuts and streaked hair have been a problem for schools for years, especially when the campuses were closed for two years during the Covid pandemic. Students returned to school with their hair sporting various shades.

Students usually follow school norms but during the festive season there are streaks of indiscipline that schools have to deal with, said several teachers.

“When students come with weird haircuts we ask them to get it re-done. The boys try to hide themselves from teachers. We send the boys home, too,” said Terence Ireland, principal, St James’ School.

“Such instances are common during the festive season when parents give them leeway to do what they want,” said Ireland.

What has made an addition in the last few years is the tattoo.

When they cannot get rid of it, schools tell students to keep it covered, at least.

On a school trip during the recent Puja break, a teacher at a south Calcutta school noticed children sporting tattoos.

“We tell students that if they are getting it done, it should be in places where it is not visible,” said Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal, South City International School.

“Some girls came with streaked hair and we asked them to colour it black,” said Bhattacharjee.

Schools have become more understanding now. Earlier, schools had a barber on campus to trim that extra lock, said a teacher.

“Boundaries and norms are there but we have to be more understanding. Many students are searching for acceptable self-image and we have to address them without hurting or destroying their personality,” said Rodney Borneo, principal, St Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar.

Borneo said teachers need to make the students understand the rules rather than just impose them on the kids.