A Texas judge has rejected a request from a local student seeking court protection against disciplinary actions regarding his hairstyle at a secondary school. Darryl George, 19, faced suspension last August after school officials claimed his dreadlocks breached the dress code.
George sought a temporary restraining order from District Judge Jeffrey Brown to allow his return to school while a federal lawsuit concerning his suspension is ongoing. However, Judge Brown declined the request, citing a delay in seeking the order.
Since the start of the previous academic year at Barbers Hill High School in August 2023, George has faced multiple disciplinary actions for his refusal to alter his hairstyle. The school district’s dress code specifies that hair must not extend below the top of a T-shirt collar, the eyebrows, or the earlobes.
George has maintained his braided dreadlocks, emphasizing their cultural significance to the Black community. As a result, he was removed from class, placed in in-school suspension, and later assigned to an off-campus program. His mother described the discomfort of the program, stating that he had to sit for long hours in a cubicle.
Returning to the same school this year, George’s situation escalated when he was placed on in-school suspension during the first days of the new academic year. Consequently, he was compelled to transfer to another school.
The federal lawsuit initiated by George and his mother is set to proceed, asserting that his discipline violates the Crown Act, a newly enacted state law aimed at prohibiting race-based discrimination regarding hair. This law, effective since September 2023, bars both schools and employers from penalizing individuals based on hair texture or protective styles, including dreadlocks. Earlier this year, a state judge ruled that George’s punishment did not constitute a violation of the Crown Act.
