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Student Sidesteps Mohawk Suspension By Changing Schools

News Channel 8 photo by JIM HOCKETT

Zachary Sharples' hairdo won't violate dress code at his new school in Pinellas County.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 9, 2008

TAMPA - A 12-year-old student suspended for sporting a Tampa Bay Rays mohawk is back in the academic lineup.

Zachary Sharples has transferred to a middle school in Pinellas County where his display of team spirit won't get him benched for being a potential disruption.

Zachary lived in Manatee County and attended Lincoln Middle School in Palmetto. Monday, a day after he, his father and little brother got Rayhawks, he showed up at school and was suspended.

Fortunately for Zachary, his family was in the process of moving to St. Petersburg, and he will be attending a new school next week. He is not going back to Lincoln this week.

He said he will wear the mohawk until the Rays lose or win out. The team begins it's American League Championship Series on Friday night at Tropicana Field against the Boston Red Sox, and Zachary plans to be there.

Andrea Zahn, director of communications with the Pinellas County School District, said a mohawk probably won't draw any sanctions. There is nothing in the student code of conduct that prohibits the hairstyle.

"With regard to haircuts," she said, "as long as they do not cause a classroom or campus disruption, they're OK. It's up to the principal's discretion."

Many schools in Pinellas County are using the Tampa Bay Rays' success as a facet of school spirit, community pride and education, she said. "It's a good teachable moment."

She doesn't know of any students who have mohawks but thinks there are plenty out there with the distinctive style.

The same holds true in Hillsborough County.

"We have a 'if it's disruptive' policy in place, and a mohawk is not disruptive," said Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County School District.

"We have lots of kids with mohawks," she said.

In Pasco County, officials referred to the rules of dress and appearance, which state only that "students shall keep their clothes, bodies and hair clean and well groomed."

The principal has the final say, the dress code states.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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