Mohawked Teen Fights For His “Right To Spike”

High school senior with 16-inch "liberty spike" Mohawk was sent home because of his hairstyle

A Florida teen has turn to activism so he can go back to wearing his punk rock hairstyle at school.

Asher Stonesifer, a 17-year-old senior at DeLand High School in DeLand, Fla., is collecting signatures on a petition to change a school policy after the principal sent him home for his 16-inch spiked Mohawk, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

The incident began Monday, when principal Mitch Moyer told Stonesifer to lose the "liberty spikes," so called for their resemblance to those on the Statue of Liberty, saying they were was distracting and posed a health and safety hazard.

But after the senior returned with his Mohawk the next day, he was sent home and referred to the discipline office for insubordination.

Moyer told the newspaper that he relied on a school dress code provision that holds the principal responsible to see that the student’s dress appearance is not "extreme."

But the teen, who isn't taking his hair down without a fight, held a conference on Thursday outside the school and said that he already had 170 student signatures. He has distributed T-shirts with a peace sign and a "right to spike" slogan.

He said that he hopes the petitions will be enough to persuade Moyer, but he’s also willing to plead his case to higher school authorities.

According to WKMG Local 6, Stonesifer wants to set a world record for the tallest Mohawk of its kind.

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