He is growing his hair long so he can donate it to wig makers for cancer patients, and his parents are supporting him.
Because his parents won't drag him to the barber, Mesquite school officials are punishing Taylor. They have isolated him from the rest of the school's students on the premise that his unruly hair will result in unruly students. According to the school's website, "students who dress and groom themselves neatly, and in an acceptable and appropriate manner, are more likely to become constructive members of the society in which we live."
His parents are concerned that the school is more worried about Taylor's hair than his education, and his father has vowed to "back him to the end."
Associated Press article.
Yahoo! News video.