The Off Topic Topic

[The Larch]

More "oh those wacky Orientals" news:

Japan school stirs debate over hairstyle rules after boy with cornrows separated from class

Strict rules on hairstyles at schools in Japan have attracted criticism after a mixed-race teenager was separated from other students at their graduation ceremony because he had plaited his hair into cornrows to pay tribute to his Black heritage.

The student, who has not been named, was made to sit alone at the back of the hall during a graduation ceremony at his school in Himeji, western Japan, and told not to stand and respond when his name was called out.

The 18-year-old, who has an African-American father and Japanese mother, said he had plaited his hair, which is naturally curly, to make it look neater for the ceremony, adding that he had learned about the cultural significance of cornrows online and from his father.

(...)

The incident occurred as lawyers warned that teachers at an elite boys school in Osaka who regularly check and even trim students' hair were violating their human rights, but stopped short of labelling the staff's actions as unconstitutional.

The Osaka Bar Association's letter, published this week, was prompted by complaints over the enforcement of hairstyle regulations at the school, which requires all 1,780 students to keep their hair short around the ears and neckline, and forbids fringes that are long enough to touch their eyebrows.

The rules, apparently inspired by a Buddhist teaching that people "see what they should see" and "hear what they should hear," have been in place for around half a century, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun. A photograph of the desired hairstyle appears in the school's student handbook, and teachers carry out checks every month, the newspaper said.

The bar association acted after several students from the school contacted it last year to complain about the way teachers were enforcing the rule, including pulling and cutting their hair.

The teachers' actions "infringe on freedom of hairstyle by exceeding the scope of socially acceptable guidance, and are not based on justifiable reason," the association said, according to the Yomiuri.

More Japanese schools reviewed their rules on uniforms and hairstyles after a female student launched a lawsuit in 2017, claiming that her high school had told her to dye her naturally brown hair black or face expulsion.

Other cases have centred on bans on regulations requiring students to wear white underwear, in some cases enforced by teachers who pulled up female students' bra straps or deliberately walked in on them while they changed for PE classes.

In response to the controversies, the education ministry told local education authorities in 2021 to regularly review their regulations and to adopt a "common sense" approach to "changing times".

Last year almost 200 public high schools and other educational institutions in Tokyo said they would drop five regulations, including one requiring students to have black hair, although some said they would continue to demand that students show proof that their hair was naturally curly or a colour other than black.

This year, a public high school in western Japan said it would introduce gender-neutral school rules from April, including allowing boys to grow ponytails, local media reported. Education authorities in Fukuoka in the country's south-west said it would end requirements for gender-specific hairstyles at dozens of junior high schools in the prefecture.

[Josquius]

A Japanese friend of mine used to get in trouble at school because her hair naturally has a brownish tint. They insisted she was dying it and this is AGAINST THE RULES.

The purpose of schools in Japan isn't to teach kids skills and useful knowledge, its to teach them how to be good and proper Japanese.

[jimmy olsen]

A Japanese friend of mine used to get in trouble at school because her hair naturally has a brownish tint. They insisted she was dying it and this is AGAINST THE RULES.

The purpose of schools in Japan isn't to teach kids skills and useful knowledge, its to teach them how to be good and proper Japanese.

Thankfully they let kids dye their hair in Korea, even elementary school.

[Syt]

I learned from Reddit that the Dutch land army is now under German command. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/126ihmy/since_today_all_three_brigades_of_the_dutch_army/

[Grey Fox]

The Nordic Airforces are also merging. Good step towards integrated European defense.

[The Brain]

A Dutch/Deutsch mixup that they simply ran with.

[Duque de Bragança]

I learned from Reddit that the Dutch land army is now under German command. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/126ihmy/since_today_all_three_brigades_of_the_dutch_army/

With the Franco-German brigade thrown in for good measure. 

[The Larch]

I learned from Reddit that the Dutch land army is now under German command. 

We talked about that recently in the Ukraine thread, I think, about that Dutch mechanized brigade that is under the German 1st tank division. So now the entire Dutch army is part of larger German units then?

[Sheilbh]

I believe there's also a British-Dutch marine group (recently celebrating their 50th birthday). Wondering if any of the Dutch forces are still under the command of the Dutch

We just need to get an "integrated" British-Dutch navy to make sure Medway never happens again

There's also some program with France so I saw that part of the British Army currently has a French general as their commander. Charles on the throne, French generals running round the country - it's like the Stuarts are back.

The Nordic Airforces are also merging. Good step towards integrated European defense.

Yeah and one that makes perfect sense. I saw some people talking about something similar with their fleets but it was then pointed out the needs of Norway as a high north Atlantic state are very different from the other three who are all mainly Baltic. But I wonder if Danish, Finnish, Swedish fleet integration could be a thing?

[Syt]

From Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_Army

Dutch army doctrine strongly emphasises international co-operation.[8] The Netherlands are a founding member of, and strong contributor to NATO, while closely co-operating with fellow member states during European Union-led missions as well. Moreover, the successful Dutch-German military co-operation is seen as a harbinger of European defence integration, facing fewer linguistic and cultural issues than the comparable Franco-German Brigade.[9] In 2014, the 11 Airmobile Brigade was integrated into the Rapid Forces Division;[10] in 2016, the Dutch-German 414 Tank Battalion was integrated into the 43rd Mechanised Brigade, which was in turn integrated into the 1st Panzer Division.[9][11] In 2023, the final brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, the 13th Light Brigade, was integrated into the 10th Panzer Division of the German Bundeswehr.[12][13]

Additionally, the German Air Defence Missile Group 61 (German: Flugabwehrraketengruppe 61) was integrated into the Dutch Joint Ground-based Air Defence Command in 2018.

[Tamas]

It's good we fought the Great War to avoid German economic and military dominance over Europe.

[Josquius]

A Japanese friend of mine used to get in trouble at school because her hair naturally has a brownish tint. They insisted she was dying it and this is AGAINST THE RULES.

The purpose of schools in Japan isn't to teach kids skills and useful knowledge, its to teach them how to be good and proper Japanese.

Thankfully they let kids dye their hair in Korea, even elementary school.

Gotta keep churning out that kpop and drama.

[Valmy]

It's good we fought the Great War to avoid German economic and military dominance over Europe.

I thought Hungary fought the Great War to ensure German economic and military dominance over Europe?

[Habbaku]

I learned from Reddit that the Dutch land army is now under German command. 

Not the first time the Dutch put their forces under command of a German.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pragmatic_Army

[Habbaku]

Europe will be left behind if it doesn't integrate everything it can ASAP.