A haircut is the reason a six-year-old student at Roosevelt Elementary in Hays is missing school. The short, Mohawk style cut was determined by school staff to be inappropriate and distracting to the other students.

The boy’s mother, Ashley Fay, says she was told the haircut made him stand out from the other children and his hair needs to be cut one length. Fay says her son has a learning disability and needs to be in school.

Superintendent Will Roth says the boy was not suspended and can return to school “as soon as the haircut is trimmed according to the principal.” He said the action follows the elementary school handbook dress code.