Darryl George, a Black high school student in Texas, has been controversially removed from his high school and put in an alternative education program because of his dreadlocks hairstyle. This has sparked a legal dispute over alleged violations of the state's CROWN Act, which forbids racial hair discrimination.
In a letter provided to the Associated Press by George's family, Barbers Hill High School principal Lance Murphy noted that, due to George's 'failure to comply' with the school's 'previously communicated standards of student conduct,' he would be sent to EPIC, a disciplinary alternative education school, until November 29.
The letter also states that George will only be allowed back on Barbers Hill's campus on November 30 if he's there to talk to school administrators about his conduct. He will, however, be able to resume regular classroom instruction.
George was given in-school suspension at the end of August by Barbers Hill High School for not following rules in the classroom and on campus over his locs. Male students on campus have a specific dress code, although the school does not have uniforms. According to the student handbook, male students are prohibited from having hair extending below the eyebrows, ear lobes or top of a t-shirt collar.
His mother, Darresha George, and lawyer for the family have disputed the charge that his dreadlocks are inappropriate for school wear. They claim that Texas' CROWN Act (an acronym for 'Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), which forbids discrimination based on race or hair color, has been broken, and they've filed a complaint with the Texas Education Agency and a federal civil rights lawsuit.
The Barbers Hill Independent School District has launched a lawsuit in an effort to get more information on whether the CROWN Act is in conflict with its dress code regulations. The school has also previously battled over these issues before this incident, with two students suspended in 2020 for a similar reason.
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Folks were at first confused.
Some thought the dress code was too strict.
But really, people saw the school's actions for what it was.
Many people brought up the CROWN Act.
Some even brought up the former cases at this very school.
People were really eager to see the upcoming lawsuit.
Texas' CROWN act became law on September 1 of this year.
A Federal CROWN act passed the House last year but did not make it through the Senate.
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