VALLEY VIEW, Texas (KXII/Gray News) – A Texas high school student who beat cancer and whose hair grew back after chemotherapy is now being told he must cut it to comply with the school’s dress code.
Trent Sampson was diagnosed with cancer at the end of his freshman year and lost his hair during chemotherapy.
He beat cancer and grew his hair long to celebrate. He hasn’t cut it since.
“Whenever it started growing again, it was a sign of survival for him,” said Trent’s mother, Jodie Sampson.
But now Trent is faced with a decision: Should he cut his hair or leave the school district where he grew up?
Valley View Independent School District is enforcing its new rules against long hair for male students.
Last month, Superintendent Jason Womack announced dress code changes that prohibit male students from having long hair.
Trent and his family told the district about his cancer story and asked for a compromise, but the district said it would not make an exception for Trent.
“We tried talking to the principal and the school director and asking, ‘Can we just put it in a bun or up in a ponytail?’ But they said no,” Trent’s mother said.
Trent’s family said they received an email response from Womack in July in which he said, “The intent of the updated dress code is to support a conservative, modest learning environment.”
KXII was unable to reach the superintendent for comment.
His classmate Jareth Vickery – also with long hair – is ready to fight against the new rules and, most importantly, for Trent.
“Trent is a great humanitarian, everyone at the school would fight for him and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” he said.
Jareth said if the school doesn’t change its mind, he won’t cut his hair.
“I imagine it ends with them changing the dress code,” Jareth said. “And if it doesn’t end that way, damn it, I guess I’ll be spending my senior year at ISS or OSS or wherever they send me.”
And Trent said no matter what happens, he won’t part with his new locks.
“My hair is curly at the ends, which I really like and I don’t want to lose it,” Trent said. “It’s from the chemo and it can never grow back.”
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