A Texas judge on Thursday said the Barbers Hill Independent School District can punish a Black student who wears his hair in long locs without violating Texas’ new CROWN Act, which is meant to prevent hairstyle discrimination in schools and workplaces.
The decision came after a monthslong dispute between the district and Darryl George, a junior at Barbers Hill High School who has been sent to in-school suspension since August for wearing his hair in long locs. Legislators last year passed a law called the Texas CROWN Act that prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective styles associated with race. Protective styles include locs, braids and twists.
But the Barbers Hill school district successfully argued it can still enforce its policy that prohibits males from wearing hair that extends beyond eyebrows, earlobes or collars even if it’s gathered on top of the student’s head.
Judge Chap B. Cain III issued the ruling after a short trial in which lawyers for opposing sides argued over the legislative intent behind the CROWN Act. Lawyers for Barbers Hill said lawmakers would have included explicit language about hair length had they intended the law to cover it. Allie Booker, representing Darryl George and his mother Darresha George, said protective styles are only possible with long hair.
You read it backwards. Boys are not permitted to have hair past their eyebrows, earlobes, or collars. The school district's opinion was that it doesn't matter if the hair is tied up in locs, the length of the hair violates their hair-length restrictions regardless of the style.
They have kept the student out of class since August denying him instruction materials and the school-provided hot lunch for not respecting the policy which, among other things, is meant to "teach respect for authority".
Even worse, this is all despite there being a law in Texas that was explicitly written in response to a different Texas high school denying a student from attending graduation with the same hair style. But, according to the school board, and agreed to by the judge, the legislation did not specifically allow for exemption to hair length in school dress codes. They aren't policing his hair style (that requires long hair), they're policing his hair length. Which is, apparently, legal.
Why the fuck is that a school policy in the 21st century? And who the fuck thought it was appropriate to put a student into quasi solitary confinement for a semester and go to court to fight for the right to enforce institutional racism?
i dont even
Definitely needs more discourse on the fact that ISS is a warning to children who dont bend to authority by putting them in solitary