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Teacher discovered student with alopecia was skeptical about shaving his head—what he did next stunned the kid

The student was feeling awkward about shaving his head and attending school with a bald head, but his teacher's response made all the difference.

BY ANGELINA DSOUZA

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) School teacher explaining while writing on the board. (R) Little boy bald due to a chronic condition. (Representative Cover Image Source: (L) Pexels | Vanessa Garcia; (R) Pixabay | NIC)

The one thing kids need at school, especially when dealing with chronic conditions, is support and acceptance. It is already an unusual feeling for them to undergo treatment and have symptoms showing up. Amid this, receiving acceptance and being included in acts of love makes all the difference. Lake Whitney Elementary third-grade teacher Ehren Steiner noticed that his student, Dino Shuffield, was getting worried about the idea of shaving his head due to alopecia, per WESH 2 News. Like any other child, he was nervous about what the class might think and how things would work out, with him standing out as a bald kid. The teacher, however, had a powerful response.

Kid battling alopecia. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by cottonbro studio) — A kid with a bald head holding a stethoscope. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by cottonbro studio)

Shuffield had always loved his spiked hair, which he flaunted at school. However, ever since he was diagnosed with alopecia areata, things have changed. He started losing hair as the condition affected his hair follicles. Shuffield was balding pretty quickly. He needed to shave his head but felt embarrassed and awkward. As for any other child, this was a hard decision and he was not confident about it. When Steiner learned that his student was uncomfortable with going bald, he decided to talk to him. On a Friday, the duo had a warm conversation. The teacher very sweetly noted that there was nothing wrong with being bald and that he would support him through.

Teacher and student having one on one conversation. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Mikhail Nilov)

To make Shuffield feel better, the teacher also offered a unique gesture. "I just kind of brought it up, 'Hey man, I'll shave mine, too, if that would make it easier,' and I told him to think about it for the rest of the school day," he recalled. The teacher aimed to make Shuffield feel better and more comfortable. Shuffield gave it some serious thought and decided to go ahead with shaving. He let Steiner know that he would shave his hair on a Friday and did not think much about what the teacher told him. When he returned to school on Monday, he was jaw-dropped at what was awaiting him. Steiner went out of his way and stayed true to his words.

Bald teacher and student playing together. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Karolina Grabowska)

The teacher showed up with a bald head after shaving his hair in support of the boy. Shuffield was delighted to see his teacher’s love for him. He even said that he looked great with his new style. Titling him the “best teacher in the world,” he was super comfortable with his bald head at school. When asked why he thought about such an extreme move, Steiner had a moving response. He noted that he understood his student’s feelings and wanted to help him feel comfortable.

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"It stinks sometimes to go through things on your own, and I think if you can have somebody to walk through things with, it makes life more enjoyable," he remarked, per the video. The teacher pointed out that ever since the duo went bald, most students have reacted positively to the situation. Shuffield’s awkwardness transformed into a priceless smile, thanks to a thoughtful and supportive teacher who truly understands what it takes to look after students.