Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) is calling on Congress to pass federal legislation protecting Black hairstyles after a Texas judge ruled teachers did not violate legal protections when they punished a student for wearing dreadlocks.
“This is a pathetic, wilful and anti-Black misinterpretation of the CROWN Act,” Pressley posted Thursday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Black folks deserve to show up as our full selves without punishment or criminalization.”
She added that Congress must pass the CROWN Act, legislation first introduced in California in 2019 to ban discrimination against race-based hairstyles such as braids, locs and other protective hairstyles.
CROWN stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. As of June 2023, 23 states have enacted the legislation.
Texas passed its own CROWN Act on Sept. 1, 2023.
But Texas student Darryl George had worn his hair in dreadlocks on top of his head until his school adopted a rule that said a male student’s hair could not be below his eyebrows or ear lobes when let down.
George, an 18-year-old student at Barbers Hill High School, has been on in-school suspension for months because of the length of his hair. His attorney, Allie Booker, said the school previously had a rule that hair could be longer, but it had to be tied up, which George complied with.
But Greg Poole, superintendent of the Barbers Hill school district, previously told The Hill that hair length for male students is only constitutionally protected for Native American students.
“Length of hair is not protected in the Texas CROWN nor in any of the CROWN Acts in the 24 states that have one,” Poole added at the time. “The Texas CROWN Act protects hair texture and the wearing of braids, twists and locs. Those with agendas wish to make the CROWN Act a blanket allowance of student expression. Again, we look forward to this issue being legally resolved.”
State District Judge Chap Cain sided with the school Thursday.
In a press conference following the ruling, Candice Matthews, a spokesperson for the George family, said the family is disappointed, angered and confused by the ruling.
“Darryl made this statement, and told me this straight up with tears in his eyes, ‘All because of my hair? I can’t get my education because of hair? I cannot be around other peers and enjoy my junior year, because of my hair?’” Matthews said.
George and his family have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the school officials and Texas state leaders, including Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
The suit alleges these leaders have failed to enforce the state law and caused emotional distress.
Matthews said George will continue to serve in-school suspension as his attorneys file for an injunction in the upcoming federal civil rights lawsuit.