Young fan suspended from school for sporting Cincinnati Bengals haircut

HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A young Cincinnati Bengals fan has been penalized for clipping — getting the football team’s stripes and “B” insignia 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.

The parents and barber all say they don’t understand why the haircut is out of bounds. Father James Reader says Dustin just wants to show pride in the 6-2 Bengals.

School officials say he will continue to do his studies away from other students until the hair grows back or he changes the style.