Sydney private school Waverley College escalates war on mullets: $20 haircut at school gates or sent packing

Sydney private school Waverley College has escalated its hard stance against mullets with a new policy – students with the offending hairstyle can get a $20 haircut at the school gates, or they'll be sent packing.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, from Term 2 of 2023 – which stars on April 24 for most NSW schools – deputy principal Gabby Smith told parents: "If your son arrives at the college at the commencement of term 2 with a haircut that is not in line with college policy, he will either be sent home on his first day or we will have a hairdresser on site where he can receive a haircut at the cost of $20, charged to his school fees account."

Watch the video above.

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"Your son will be given a choice on this day and a note will be logged on his file. There will be no phone calls home," Smith's note continued.

The definition of "offending styles" also extends to undercuts, dramatic layering, tracks (shapes cut into the hair), overuse of product, tinting, colouring, strands of hair, braids or lines.

This is the latest move in a long-running campaign against the beloved hairstyle, with the school first moving to ban the 'do in 2021.

Smith told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday that the ban is about more than just the hair itself.

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"Part of maturing in life is understanding that rules, guidelines, and expectations are necessary for growth – even when these might not align with our personal preferences," Smith said.

"While personal expression, fun and creativity are important parts of who we all are as individuals, it needs to fit within the bounds of what is acceptable and required of us," said the deputy principal, adding that parents are in support of the ban.

"Waverley College's uniform policy includes presentation standards such as appropriate hairstyles and just as many workplaces have expectations of presentation, we expect our students to adhere to a dress code that includes neat hair," Smith said.