UPDATE: There’s a petition available now for those who want to sign it.

We saw this pop up into our beauty news feed today: Apparently, a bill in the Indiana House is recommending that professions like cosmetology and barbering be deregulated. If passed, it would mean that cosmetologists and barbers in that state would no longer have to be certified and licensed to charge for their services and open beauty salons.

We were going to do a big post on the matter, but then we saw that Beauty Schools Directory already talked that talk and covered pretty much everything we wanted to say in their post: “On Indiana’s proposed cosmetology deregulations and why that’s a terrible idea”

We did do some recon, though, to see what people thought, asking them, “Would you go to a cosmetologist or barber who wasn’t licensed and trained?”

“When I walk into a store for a haircut, I expect the person with the blades to at least have some idea what they’re doing – even if I have very little hair to cut.”

– Michael, Kansas City, MO

“Absolutely not. Just like I wouldn’t go to a tattoo artist who wasn’t certified or licensed and had proper training in safety and hygiene.”

– Amber, Red Lion, PA

“I would go back to shaving my head before paying someone that doesn’t have proper certification and training.”

– Paul, Columbia, SC

“For hair, yeah, I’d go to someone unlicensed, especially if I were only getting a trim and an unlicensed barber’s prices were a lot lower. Same for a manicure or makeup. That said, for any specialty treatments like hair color, special beauty mask, etc., I would prefer someone trained and certified.”

– Kate, Amsterdam

“Would I walk in off the street? No way. If I were very familiar with their abilities, possibly. I may spend as little as possible on haircuts, but no way would I go to someone who wasn’t able tos how they have some sort of training and experience. Licensing is a good way to prove that.”

– Rachael, Utica, NY

“My dad isn’t trained to cut, but he still cuts mine. But he grew up with my Grandpa cutting his.”

– Logan, Eagle Springs, NC

“You mean the ‘mom haircut’? Heck no!”

– Nelson, Kansas City, MO

“It depends on word-of-mouth about the barber, but I wouldn’t walk in off the sterets to a place I had never heard of before.”

– Josh, Kansas City, MO

“I always look for women with haircuts I like then ask them where they get their haircut. It just aoccurred to me that I have never looked to see if they’re credentialed – just if they cut good hair.”

– Dawn, Columbia, SC

What do you guys think? Should states deregulate cosmetology and barbering and open up the industry?

Learning vital career skills doesn’t mean you have to wait for college – at least that’s what two Salem, Oregon high schools are doing. Students of Sabin-Schellenberg Technical Center of the North Clackamas School District and Robert Ferrell High School at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility are learning cosmetology skills before they graduate from high school.

These technical schools also offer high school students other career training options in addition to cosmetology. The cosmetology curriculum is the latest installment that offers new career options to students.

These beauty and cosmetology classes cover many of the same topics they will encounter in a full beauty school course. Students are exposed to:

• Sanitation practices
• Hair techniques
• Microbiology
• Anatomy
• Business skills

Upon completion, these high school students should have the knowledge and skill set to take their state cosmetology licensing examinations. There are some technical schools nationwide that are taking the same route as these Oregon high schools. If interested, check with your local cosmetology board to see if any high schools in your area offer cosmetology training programs at the high school level.