Officials facial hair and hair style

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

I have never agreed with the constraints which some people strive to impose upon others in the officiating world. However, just about all of this operates via independent contractor status. So if you wish to work for someone, then you need to adhere to the desires and standards of the person doing the hiring. If not, then they don't have to hire you.

My standards would simply be that the individual's hairstyle exhibits proper cleanliness, isn't offensive, and does not pose a safety issue. I don't believe that anything else would be defensible.

Agree Nevada.

As a military person, when I first joined the service back in the 80's, the rules were: don't part your hair in the middle, no facial hair, no sideburns, and your hair should be tapered in the back - not blocked. Was it written anywhere? No. It was unspoken (yet known). If you wanted to move forward - blend in and don't rock the boat. Period. Or suffer the consequences.

Did some not conform? Sure. Did some make it even though, they didn't conform? Sure. What does it say about their performance? Probably not much (similar to what the OP points out). Should it be THE discriminator as it supposedly was in this case? Of course not.

In my association we have a few, not many, with facial hair. They seem to have done pretty well.

PS - Recently, photos surfaced of me in on the web from my very early military days........mustache and all! Hey, we'd just come back from the field leave me alone!