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THS administrators pay up by having locks shaved off

By Eric Sorrentino - | Oct 10, 2007

Tonganoxie High principal Jamie Carlisle won’t have to worry about how much gel he applies to his hair, for now.

Seniors on the THS football team took away gel as a grooming option for Carlisle last week when they shaved his head in the school’s west campus gymnasium.

Carlisle, along with four other THS administrators, lived up to a wager made at the homecoming week bonfire with the football team. Since Tonganoxie defeated Santa Fe Trail for homecoming, the administrators put themselves under the razors in front of hundreds of entertained THS students, who packed the bleachers.

“I’ve typed out a memo that I’m going to shoot out to the board members, to maybe change the hat policy in school,” Carlisle joked after his head was shaved. “That’s effective tomorrow. It’s either that or I’m going to have to wear a rug.”

THS assistant principal Brent Smith, athletics director Brandon Parker, trainer and at-risk instructor Mark Padfield and band director Charles VanMiddlesworth joined Carlisle for free haircuts.

Carlisle, coincidentally, is 0-2 in fun bets he’s made with students. He said the last time he went bald off a bet was at his former school, Baxter Springs, when he was a basketball coach.

“I’m afraid to look in the mirror,” Carlisle quipped. “Kids seemed to have a ball today, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Smith’s hair-do was particularly intriguing. The assistant principal left a patch of hair, in the shape of a ‘T,’ on the back of his head.

THS students may not see the design for long. Smith said he’d keep the ‘T’ until the THS football team lost its next game. THS lost, 26-14, Friday night at Basehor-Linwood.

“At a couple of other homecomings, I’ve shaved a ‘T’ into my head,” Smith said. “I’ve never had this look, though. It feels like a summer haircut. I figured, what the heck, let’s give it a try.”

Parker’s haircut was the result of the most student input. Initially, Parker’s hair stylist, senior Wes Armstrong, cut the athletic director’s hair to resemble a buzz cut. It was evident the students wanted Parker bald, though. Carlisle called on five of Parker’s volleyball players to state their vote to the crowd — buzz or bald?

After senior Jessie Whitledge’s deciding fifth vote, it was official: Parker was going bald.

Before the event, Armstrong made sure he would be the one cutting Parker’s hair. Armstrong is a student aide for Parker during the last hour of each school day.

“He’s always making me do a lot of work, so I said, ‘All right. I’ll get my revenge. I’ll shave his head,'” Armstrong said, laughing. “I brought my clippers to school earlier and was like, ‘Hey Parker!'”

Paul Bray, owner of Paul’s Barber Shop, 527 E. Fourth St., supplied two razors and a chair cloth to the seniors.

Bray has seen his share of friendly bets around the high school community. He said Piper once shaved its principal’s head as a result of such a bet.

“This is tops right here,” Bray said. “I’ve never seen one this good before. (Carlisle) was really into this. He got the kids all going with his enthusiasm.”