School punishment for Black student's hair is legal in CROWN Act lawsuit, judge rules

[GMDino]

Activist judge or just upholding school's rights?

https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-school-punishment-black-students-hair-legal-crown/story?id=107451979

Quote:[color=var(--headline-description-color)]Darryl George, 18, has been banned from attending regular classes.[/color]
[color=var(--byline-contributor-color)][color=var(--byline-byText-color)]ByTesfaye Negussie[/color]
[color=var(--dateTime-regular-color)]February 22, 2024, 1:47 PM[/color]





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3:23


Judge rules in favor of school in Texas hair suspension case
Judge rules in favor of school in Texas hair suspension case
ABC News’ Morgan Norwood has the latest on a judge’s ruling in a case involving a Texas student’s hairs...Show More



A judge ruled Thursday that the punishment faced by a Black high school student in Texas for refusing to change his hairstyle does not violate the state's CROWN Act, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination, according to ABC owned KTRK.



Darryl George, 18, has been banned from attending regular classes at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu by the school district. He has been directed to in-school suspension and an off-site disciplinary program since Aug. 31, 2023, according to his mother Darresha George.

The school claimed that the length of his dreadlocks violated their dress and grooming code. Darryl George's dreadlocks are braided and wrapped up on top of his head.

[color=var(--caption-text-color)]Darryl George has been facing in-school suspension since Aug. 31 because of his dreadlocks.
[color=var(--caption-creditSource-color)][color=var(--caption-credit-color)]George Family Photo[/color][/color]

The CROWN Act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," was passed with a bipartisan vote in the Texas legislature and signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last May.[/color]

"… being an American requires conformity with the positive benefit of unity, and being a part of something bigger than yourself," Greg Poole, the superintendent of Barbers Hill ISD, said through a full-page, paid ad in the Houston Chronicle on Jan. 14.
Recent Stories from ABC News

Poole told ABC News in a statement in January that Barbers Hill dress code was not in violation of the CROWN Act which Texas enacted last September.


"The CROWN Act was meant to allow braids, locs or twists, which the district has always allowed. The law was never intended to allow unlimited student expression," Poole said in a statement.


Candice Matthews, a local activist close to the family, criticized Poole for his stance.


"This is very dangerous and he [BHISD Superintendent Greg Poole] has no business having any type of oversight of children and their educational journey," Matthews told ABC News in part through a statement in January.


The school district told ABC News in a statement in September they filed the lawsuit through the judicial system of Texas to help them clarify the terms of the CROWN Act and whether the length of hair is a factor in the law.

"Any student dress or grooming policy adopted by a school district, including a student dress or grooming policy for any extracurricular activity, may not discriminate against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race," according to the CROWN Act. "'Protective hairstyle' includes braids, locks and twists.'"

[color=var(--surface-color,#121213)][url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/style/video/crown-act-bans-discrimination-hair-80451359][/url][color=var(--card-content-color)][color=var(--meta-headline-color)]MORE: A look at CROWN Act, which bans discrimination because of hair
[/color][/color]
Darryl George's family filed a federal lawsuit in September against Abbott and the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton for allegedly not enforcing the state's CROWN Act.

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The family alleges in the complaint that Darryl George has been subjected to "improper discipline and abrogation of both his Constitutional and state rights," as a result of the governor's and the AG's failure to provide equal protection and due process under the law for the plaintiffs; ensuring school districts and schools refrain from discrimination based on race and sex and from using the CROWN Act of Texas to cause outright race and discrimination, according to a copy of the lawsuit ABC News obtained.

Abbott and Paxton did not respond to ABC News' request for comment at the time of the lawsuit.


ABC News' Kiara Alfonseca contributed to this report.

[*michaelsean*]

Are we just talking length of hair?

Not sure how it would be considered an activist judge either way in this case.

[Mike M (the other one)]

I really don't get some of this shit, if it's not a distraction to other students (or in T-Shirt cases discrimination) then who the eff cares what kids wear to a public school.
I can understand it better that Private schools have dress/groom codes that need to be followed, that's fine, it's no different than places of employment having dress/grooming codes.

[*michaelsean*]

(02-24-2024, 11:19 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I really don't get some of this shit, if it's not a distraction to other students (or in T-Shirt cases discrimination) then who the eff cares what kids wear to a public school.
I can understand it better that Private schools have dress/groom codes that need to be followed, that's fine, it's no different than places of employment having dress/grooming codes.

That’s a different argument.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(02-24-2024, 11:26 PM)michaelsean Wrote: That’s a different argument.

Yes and no, it's the same principle, from the looks of it, his hair style does not appear to be a distraction unless there is something else going on that we are unaware of. What's worse is they actually have a law protecting hair styes in schools. 

[*michaelsean*]

(02-24-2024, 11:56 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Yes and no, it's the same principle, from the looks of it, his hair style does not appear to be a distraction unless there is something else going on that we are unaware of. What's worse is they actually have a law protecting hair styes in schools. 

I thought it was a length thing. Maybe I misread.

[NATI BENGALS]

I have no problem with a school setting rules on dress code and appearance.

I would be on his side if it was his natural hair or something.

But it’s not. He choose to do that to his head.. Obey the rules or gtfo.

On another note. I wonder if most schools ban yoga pants now?

[*pally*]

“Being an American requires conformity”….seriously?

I have no words at the shear audacious stupidity of that statement

It is a bloody shame this “educator” is more concerned with how a young person looks than he is in making sure he is learning.

Teenagers don’t get distracted over someone’s hairstyle. This is an adult problem. But of course in MAGAland Texas this young man will get no justice from that court system.

[GMDino]

(02-25-2024, 03:31 AM)pally Wrote: “Being an American requires conformity”….seriously?  

I have no words at the shear audacious stupidity of that statement

It is a bloody shame this “educator” is more concerned with how a young person looks than he is in making sure he is learning.

Teenagers don’t get distracted over someone’s hairstyle.  This is an adult problem.  But of course in MAGAland Texas this young man will get no justice from that court system.

It's been that way for a long time.  

Girls can't expose their shoulders and skirts must be a certain length...it distracts the boys.
Boys can't have long hair...it doesn't look "right".


Adults putting their sexual urges/fears on the students.  Meanwhile they don't want sex-ed because they think it will encourage students to have sex.  

The idea that hiding everything and trying to avoid "distractions" will never not be funny to me.

I went to catholic school all my life.  With dress codes and hair codes and every other kind of code.  There were always "distractions" because boys and girls (and girls and girls and boys and boys) all started going through puberty no matter what the code was.

Our graduating class of 85 students had one girl who had a child with her bf before graduating.  The school chose to "hide it" from the students and would not let her finish the year after birth.  They are still married to this day.

Every generation thinks the one behind it is "worse" somehow and they try to "help" them.

End of rant.

Now this situation isn't about any of that I suppose.  It's about the hair not being explicitly described in the law.  I'd be curious if hair extensions are covered or banned.