WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) – Punishment for trying to do something good, that’s what one Windthorst family is calling it. A junior high student was given an ultimatum over his long hair.

“It was…it was hard. As a mom, and a wife, having to have that conversation of where do we draw the line, and why would we draw the line,” Alyssa McCorkle, Luke’s mother said.

For Luke McCorkle, it wasn’t the first time he decided to grow his hair out for a good cause.

“I was in third grade when I cut it, it was a week before our town had completely shut down during their spring break, and it was very big for me, a very good achievement that I felt like a ton of people could benefit from, even if it was just one,” Luke McCorkle said.

Wigs For Kids is a nonprofit organization…that helps children suffering from hair loss stemming from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns, and other medical cause, but once Luke’s hair started touching his shoulders, there was a problem

“Three days of ISS, and then it was in school and out of school detention during his lunch and break periods, and then after the school board meeting and we fought and appealed everything, they said if he doesn’t cut his hair, we will escalate it to ISS, out of school suspension, and then alternative education,” Ben McCorkle, Luke’s father said.

Windthorst ISD believed Luke’s hair length violated the dress code.
William Paul, Superintendent of Windthorst ISD, said the school district does not comment on student matters per district policy and law.

See the full statement below:

“Windthorst ISD has a handbook and code of conduct we abide by when addressing student discipline issues. These are adopted by the school board every year and are acknowledged by parents when registering for school. They are posted publicly for anyone to read, and school personnel is available if there are ever questions or concerns.

When questions about administrative decisions are brought to the school board, the board is bound to uphold district policy, which they did, unanimously.

Windthorst ISD has worked and will continue to work with our community and parents to provide a safe and effective academic learning environment.”

Windthorst ISD

Luke said he was just attempting to help people.

“Every day you can walk around cities and towns and see people in need, and you can’t always help them, so then when it comes to people you can help, you would want to try and help them, and that’s what I was attempting to do,” Luke said.

The McCorkles were met with an ultimatum; proceed to grow out his hair or risk his future.

“The teasing and the harassment, and just emotional highs and lows, that he went through were for eight inches that we can’t do anything with,” Alyssa McCorkle said.
“I didn’t want to risk him having that, we could’ve still fought with the school, but the responses we got from the school, board and administration were not very welcoming at all, and they were staying steadfast in their decisions on punishing Luke,” Ben McCorkle said.

While Luke had to face the scissors, the family is hoping no one else has to go through this. The eight inches Luke had to cut off were not able to be donated.