A Texas judge ruled Thursday that a school district’s dress code, which it used to suspend a black student last year for refusing to change the way he wears his hair, did not violate a state law meant to prohibit discrimination. racial against people. in his hairstyle.
The student, Darryl George, 18, has locs, or long rope-like strands of hair, that are pinned to his head in a barrel shape, a protective style that his mother said reflected black culture. Since the start of his junior year last August, he has faced a series of disciplinary actions at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, about 30 miles east of Houston, after refusing to get a haircut. He was separated from his classmates, given disciplinary notices, given in-school suspension, and sent to an off-campus program.
Thursday’s hearing, in the 253rd Judicial District Court in Anáhuac, was in response to a lawsuit filed in September by the Barbers Hill Independent School District. The filing argued that Mr. George was “in violation of the District’s dress and grooming code” because he wears his hair “in braids and twists” at a length that extends “below the top of the collar of a T-shirt.” , under the eyebrows, and/or under the earlobes when lowered.”
The district asked state District Judge Chap B. Cain III to clarify whether the dress code violated a state law called the Texas CROWN Act, as the defendants, Mr. George and his mother, Darresha George, claim. The law, which went into effect Sept. 1, says a school district policy “may not discriminate against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.” It doesn’t specifically mention hair length.
Allie Booker, the Georges’ attorney, said she would appeal the ruling.
The trial was the latest development in a case that has sparked scrutiny of education policies and race in the United States. At least 24 states have adopted laws that make it illegal to discriminate against students or workers because of their hairstyle.
The case involving Mr. George began shortly after school officials objected to his locs and told Ms. George that the length of her son’s hair, even though it was pinned, violated the code. of district clothing. The district subjected him to punishments, including suspension, after he refused to cut it.
Ms. George and her son filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in September in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the law, and the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, saying they allowed the school to break the law.
Their lawsuit seeks a temporary order to stop Darryl’s suspension while the case moves through the federal court system, and accuses Abbott and Paxton of “deliberately or recklessly” causing emotional distress to George and Darryl by failing to intervene.
Supporters of the family, including lawmakers and activists, also said the measures violated the CROWN Act.
The family’s lawsuit says Mr. George wears locomotives as an “expression of cultural pride” and claims his protections under the federal Civil Rights Act are being violated because the dress code policy disproportionately affects black male students. .
In October, Mr. George was transferred to an off-campus disciplinary program. In December, he was allowed to return to high school, but was then given another in-school suspension, this time for 13 days.
In January, school district Superintendent Greg Poole defended the policy in an ad published in The Houston Chronicle, saying that districts with dress codes are safer and have higher academic achievement, and that “being an American requires conformity.” .
kitty bennett contributed to the research.