TL/DR –
A Texas judge ruled that the CROWN Act does not prevent school dress codes from limiting student hair length, disappointing Darryl George who was suspended from his high school due to his locs hairstyle. The Texas CROWN Act, which took effect on September 1, 2023, forbids discrimination based on hairstyles associated with a particular race or culture. George and his family, who are filing a federal civil rights lawsuit against school officials and Texas state leaders, plan to appeal the recent ruling.
Texas Judge Rules on CROWN Act and Student Hair Length
A Texas judge has ruled that the state’s CROWN Act does not render it unlawful for school dress codes to limit a student’s hair length. This decision has implications for Darryl George, a Houston-area high school student who was suspended for the length of his locs hairstyle and subsequently sued the Barbers Hill Independent School District. The defendants intend to appeal the ruling.
About the Texas CROWN Act
The Texas CROWN Act, in effect since September 1, 2023, prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles typically associated with a specific race or culture. The contested dress code permits locs hairstyles but imposes restrictions on male students’ hair length.
The School District’s Stance
Barbers Hill Independent School District filed a declaratory judgment lawsuit last September, asking the court to determine whether their policy of limiting student hair length contravenes the CROWN Act. George and his family, who have refused to cut his locs, argue that the CROWN ACT forbids such policies. They have also lodged a federal civil rights lawsuit against school officials and Texas state leaders. Speaking to reporters ahead of the trial, George described his isolation due to in-school suspension as “very lonely.”
The Student’s Perspective
“I started my dreads for a reason…to feel close to my people…to feel my ancestors,” said George. His mother, Darresha, thanked supporters “for making us stand strong.”
The School District’s Response
Greg Poole, Superintendent of the Barbers Hill Independent School District, shared a statement before the trial’s commencement. He told CNN the district anticipates the matter being “legally resolved”, reiterating the Texas CROWN Act’s protections for hair texture and styles like braids, twists, and locs. Poole argues that the CROWN Act isn’t intended as a blanket allowance of student expression, and told CNN that hair length for male students is only constitutionally protected for Native American students. In January, he placed a full-page ad advocating that “being an American requires conformity with the positive benefit of unity.”
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