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Kraków school principal suspended over forced student haircut

20.11.2025 15:30
The mayor of Kraków, Aleksander Miszalski, has announced the immediate suspension and the launch of disciplinary proceedings against Mariusz Graniczka, head of XLIV High School, over an incident in which he allegedly forced a student to shave his head without parental consent.
Kraków mayor Aleksander Miszalski has ordered the immediate suspension and disciplinary review of a school principal after he allegedly forced a student to shave his head without parental consent.
Kraków mayor Aleksander Miszalski has ordered the immediate suspension and disciplinary review of a school principal after he allegedly forced a student to shave his head without parental consent. Photo: Polish Radio/Jonas Augustin/Unsplash.com/CC0

According to reports by Gazeta Wyborcza, Graniczka objected to the hairstyle of a minor - short sides with a cropped top - and arranged for the boy to visit a nearby barber.

The student was reportedly told not to return to school until his head had been shaved.

Neither Graniczka nor the student’s teacher, who had referred him to the principal, informed the parents beforehand.

The parents filed a complaint with the local education authority, which recommended to Mayor Miszalski that the principal be suspended pending an investigation.

Speaking on Wednesday, Miszalski condemned the incident, saying he was “shocked and appalled” by the director’s actions.

The politician emphasised that the school “is not the private fiefdom of a director” and that student rights and safety must be fully respected.

The mayor also criticised Graniczka for previously crossing boundaries, including politically charged assemblies and pressuring parents over religious instruction.

Graniczka, whose term as head of the school is ending, intends to apply for a new term, but his candidacy depends on receiving a highly positive assessment from the education authority.

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Source: Gazeta Wyborcza/TVN24/Facebook.com/Aleksander Miszalski