When I was a freshman in high school I ran on the cross country team.  Back then, the course was two miles long (by the time my kids competed it was 3 miles).  I was not the top runner on the team by far, but my best time of 10.56 minutes was fairly respectable, especially for a 9th grader.  Our star varsity runner was somewhere in the mid-nine minute range.  So, I think it is fair to say I had potential and I did work hard, never missing practice and the like.

So, it was pretty shocking when near the end of the season Coach Hedges told me get a haircut or I was off the team.  The truth of the matter is that my hair was not even that long (certainly not over my ears or in my eyes or anything).  And what I found especially irksome was my hair was every bit as short as the aforementioned star varsity player.  I mentioned that fact to the coach and then I was off the team.  And thus began my rebellious phase.

I mention this now after all these years because I didn’t realize at the time that my Constitutional rights had been violated.   The 7th Circuit Court says a short hair requirement for boys that doesn’t apply to girls is a violation of the equal protection clause and constitutes sex discrimination.

I just figured Coach Hedges was an asshole. Instead, I was a victim of government oppression and didn’t even know it.  No big deal, just one of those bumps along the road of life that cause a change of direction.  But of course, that changes everything.

Hat Tip: Althouse