8th grader suspended for Bengals cut

HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) - A young Cincinnati Bengals fan has been penalized for clipping -- getting the football team's stripes and "B" logo cut into his hair.

School officials in the southwest Ohio city of Hamilton put eighth-grader Dustin Reader into in-school suspension Monday when he showed up with the new hairstyle in tribute to the Bengals' good season. The school says its code of conduct prohibits extreme and distracting hairstyles.

His parents and his barber say they don't understand why the haircut is out of bounds. His father, James Reader, says Dustin is just paying tribute to the 6-2 Bengals.

"This is a way for him to express pride in the Bengals' putting up a winning season," said Reader. "It's not racist, not drug-related, not gang-related or anything like that. It's about football."

School officials say he will continue to do his school work away from other students at Garfield Middle School until the hair grows back or he changes the style.

Kathy Leist, assistant superintendent for the Hamilton schools, said such suspensions are "a building-level decision based on the code of conduct." School officials wouldn't discuss details of the discipline case.

His parents say they believe he is exercising his freedom of expression and he can keep his hair the way it is.

"I'm behind him 100 percent," said his father.