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submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

The family of a Black high school student in Texas on Saturday filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the state’s governor and attorney general over his ongoing suspension by his school district for his hairstyle.

Darryl George, 17, a junior at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, has been serving an in-school suspension since Aug. 31 at the Houston-area school. School officials say his dreadlocks fall below his eyebrows and ear lobes and violate the district’s dress code.

George’s mother, Darresha George, and the family’s attorney deny the teenager’s hairstyle violates the dress code, saying his hair is neatly tied in twisted dreadlocks on top of his head.

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[-] ericisshort@lemmy.world 122 points 1 year ago

Good. I hope he gets rich and that it ends this sort of bullshit in Texas schools.

[-] A_Toasty_Strudel@lemmy.world 68 points 1 year ago

Besides, even if it violates the dress code they have, this shouldn't be a part of the dress code to begin with. Who cares if somebody has some freaking dreads like get over it. Smh

[-] MudMan@kbin.social 42 points 1 year ago

I am baffled that the anglosphere has a dress code for schools in the first place. I don't think I've ever heard of anybody getting even talked to for what they wear in a public school here, and I've had teachers in the family for four decades.

Private schools sure, but those are for nepo babies and idiots.

[-] dojan@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Even private schools where I'm from are unlikely to have that kind of thing. They might have a uniform, but I'm not sure if dress codes are even allowed.

I suppose the exception would be if someone is wearing something that can be considered offensive. E.g. if they come to school in an SS uniform. That'd definitely cause a commotion. I've no idea how a hairstyle could be offensive unless someone shaved/shaped their hair into like a slur or something.

[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago

Hair-based dress code rules are always bullshit. I used to go to a school that required boys' hair to be above the ears, as well. I always thought it was stupid, so did my mom, so she let me grow my hair out and the worst they did was tell me I need to get a haircut.

[-] garretble@lemmy.world 61 points 1 year ago

It’s always stupid when these kids have to deal with this, but it’s especially stupid with this student because his hair looked awesome (if the photos we see are what they are upset about).

[-] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago

Yeah, if what I see in the articles and thumbnails are what he’s rockin’ then what the fuck is the problem?! He’s got a good thing going.

[-] Drusas@kbin.social 38 points 1 year ago

It's about control. Racism and control.

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 year ago

I think it looks stupid as hell, but I don't care ( but who cares what this old, obese, white dude thinks about some kids' haircut). Further, that's no reason to get suspended. Hell, I would have been suspended a whole bunch of times if my HS had a rule against stupid haircuts. I'd argue that HS is the time to be stupid about this shit.

[-] GillyGumbo@lemmy.world 51 points 1 year ago

Isn't the rule about hair not going past eyebrows or ear lobes? Every picture I've seen of this dude meets that requirement. I really don't understand the reasoning behind the violation?

[-] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 56 points 1 year ago

There is no reasoning. It's just white conservatives triggered by black man.

[-] flying_sheep@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 year ago
[-] elbarto777@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Oy.... this was an innocent correction, right? Right?

[-] Mirshe@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago

The school's reasoning is "well if he ever took them down he'd be in violation, so he's in violation regardless".

[-] ruckblack@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 year ago

Yeah I think the reasoning is that they're not allowed to have hair that, if let down, would be lower than their eyebrows/earlobes. You're not allowed to have long hair and put it up. Very stupid.

[-] FluffyPotato@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago

Schools in the US can regulate students hairstyle?! Wtf?

[-] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 year ago

Yay small government?

[-] Rootiest@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

Maybe in Texas.

We'll see how the lawsuit plays out

[-] corroded@lemmy.world 30 points 1 year ago

What business does a school have telling students how to cut their hair? When I was in school (over 20 years ago), I had my hair long, short, colored, and everything in-between. Nobody gave a fuck.

[-] Catoblepas 17 points 1 year ago

Skin color is probably a factor here. It was only a few years ago that a video was making the rounds of a teenage wrestler being forced to cut his dreads or forfeit a match, and pretty much every year at least a few stories make the rounds about black and native kids being told their hair style is inappropriate and they won't be allowed to walk on stage at their graduation unless they cut it.

[-] corroded@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I agree that it's quite likely racism is the problem in this instance. My point is that schools should under no circumstances be telling students how they need to wear their hair; apparently this school has a dress code that stipulates hear length. Schools exist to give students the knowledge they need to be successful once they reach the age of 18. They should not be policing how the students groom themselves or dress; that should be up to the parents. There should not be a "dress code" in the first place, outside of "don't show up to school naked."

[-] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Skin color is probably a factor here.

Skin color is the only factor here.

[-] totallynotarobot@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

What is an "in-school suspension?"

Like you sit in a corner staring at the wall from 8-3?

[-] Marcbmann@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Yeah. In my experience you're still getting all of your classwork and you're getting instruction. But you're isolated from your peers.

In this instance especially it's fucking stupid. But in theory his education is not being completely interrupted by this bullshit

[-] kamen@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Wow. I can't believe it's 2023 and people are getting hung up about how someone's hair looks like.

[-] NickwithaC@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago
[-] elbarto777@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

It was never about the hair.

[-] phillaholic@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

I’m really curious how this isn’t simply unconstitutional based on Bostock v. Clayton County. I’ve yet to see any news source being it up. This was the case the protects a gay person being fired for being gay in they you cannot say it’s wrong to be attracted to women as a women but ok for a man. You’re discriminating based on sex. Therefore if the hair length is ok for girls, it has to be ok for boys.

[-] BossDj@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Barber's Hill should absolutely have a hair related dress code. And a red and white striped pole

this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2023
475 points (100.0% liked)

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