The CROWN Act is a step in the right direction, but it is clear that more needs to be done to address hair discrimination in schools
It's back-to-school time for children across the country, but for one Texas student, his first few weeks have been ruined over a hairstyle that is not unique in the Black community.
Darryl George, a 17-year-old Black student at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, Texas, was suspended for wearing his locs in a ponytail style. This is despite the fact that the CROWN Act, a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, went into effect in Texas earlier this month.
The district's dress code specifically states that male students' hair cannot extend below the eyebrows or ear lobes, or below the top of a t-shirt collar. George's locs do not violate any of these rules, but school officials have asked him to cut them anyway. If he does not, he could be placed in an alternative school.
George's mother, Darresha George, has said that her son will not cut his hair and that her family will continue to battle the school's hair policy.
This situation is unacceptable. Black students are disproportionately targeted by hair discrimination in schools. In a 2018 study by the National Women's Law Center, Black girls were five times more likely to be suspended from school than white girls, and Black boys were three times more likely to be suspended than white boys. This is often due to racist dress code policies that ban natural Black hairstyles, such as locs, braids, and twists.
The CROWN Act is a step in the right direction, but it is clear that more needs to be done to address hair discrimination in schools. We need to educate school administrators and staff about the CROWN Act and ensure that they are implementing it fairly. We also need to change the culture in schools so that Black students feel comfortable wearing their natural hair without fear of being punished.
What can you do to help?
- Contact your school district and ask them to review their dress code policy to ensure that it is aligned with the CROWN Act.
- Educate yourself and others about the CROWN Act and the importance of hair diversity.
- Support Black-owned businesses that sell natural hair products and services.
- Speak out against hair discrimination when you see it happening.
Together, we can create a world where all students are free to wear their natural hair without fear of punishment.
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