Family of Black High School Student Suspended Over Hairstyle Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Texas Officials

The lawsuit alleges that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the state’s attorney general failed to enforce the new state law banning hairstyle discrimination.

Lawsuit Alleges Discrimination:

• The family of Darryl George, a Black student suspended from Barbers Hill High School in Texas over his hairstyle, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit.
• The lawsuit names Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the state’s attorney general, alleging their failure to enforce a new state law that outlaws discrimination based on hairstyles.

Suspension Over Dreadlocks:

• George, a 17-year-old student, has been serving an in-school suspension since Aug. 31 due to school officials’ claims that his dreadlocks violated the district’s dress and grooming code.
• The district’s policy doesn’t prohibit dreadlocks but sets specific guidelines for male students’ hair length.
• George’s hairstyle is an expression of his Black identity and culture, according to the lawsuit.

Violation of Texas’ CROWN Act:

• Supporters argue that George’s suspension violates Texas’ CROWN Act, a new law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyles associated with race.
• The law went into effect on Sept. 1, the day after George was suspended.
• The lawsuit claims that Abbott and the attorney general failed to protect George’s constitutional and state rights and allowed the school district to violate the CROWN Act.

Legal Action Seeks to Halt Suspension:

• The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order and injunction to stop George’s suspension while the case is in federal court.
• The National Minister of Politics for the New Black Panther Nation and a spokesperson for George’s family, Candice Matthews, expressed the intention to hold Barbers Hill Independent School District accountable for alleged racism.

Investigation and District’s Response:

• The Texas Education Agency is investigating the allegations against the school district.
• In response, the school district filed its lawsuit, seeking clarification on whether its policy violates the law.
• The district has stated that it does not intend to enhance disciplinary action against George pending the court’s ruling on the policy’s legality.

Texas’ CROWN Act:

• The CROWN Act, or “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” bans hair discrimination and aims to address educational and employment discrimination against Black individuals.
• Some protected hairstyles and textures include dreadlocks, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros.
• Texas is among the states that have enacted their version of the CROWN Act.

Lawmaker’s Response:

• State Rep. Rhetta Bowers, who authored the Texas CROWN Act, asserted that George’s hairstyle is protected by the law.
• Bowers called on the school district to align its dress code with the CROWN Act and end George’s suspension.
• She emphasized the importance of advocating for those facing unfair treatment and discrimination.

Previous Dress Code Legal Action:

• Barbers Hill High School faced a similar lawsuit in 2020 when two Black male students, DeAndre Arnold and Kaden Bradford, were told to cut their hair.
• Arnold and Bradford were suspended and expelled after refusing to cut their hair, despite wearing natural hairstyles as an expression of their heritage.
• The case led to a federal judge ruling the district’s policy as discriminatory and ultimately influenced the passage of the Texas CROWN Act.

The lawsuit against Texas officials highlights the ongoing struggle against hairstyle discrimination and calls for the protection of students’ rights to express their cultural identities.