A federal judge recently ruled against Darryl George, a black Texas high school student who is seeking a court order to return to school without further punishment because of his hairstyle, according to the Associated Press.
George was expelled from Barbers Hill High School at the beginning of his senior year after school district officials told him he would face further penalties for not cutting his hair. During his junior year, he faced suspension due to his kinky dreadlocks. The school district argued that his hairstyle violated the dress code, which states that hair cannot extend below the collar, eyebrows or earlobes when worn down.
George asked U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown in Galveston for a temporary restraining order to protect him from further disciplinary action while the federal case proceeds. However, Brown rejected the request in a judgment issued last Friday (October 4), noting that George and his legal team had waited too long to make the request. This situation has sparked a broader discussion about school dress codes and their impact on students’ right to express their identities.
Additionally, George’s request comes after Brown dismissed most of the federal lawsuit filed by Brown and her mother accusing school officials of racial and sex discrimination. In a recent court filing, the school district argued that George had no legal standing to seek a restraining order because he was no longer enrolled as a student. They argue that the purpose of a dress code is to “teach grooming and hygiene, instill discipline, prevent disorder, avoid safety hazards, and teach respect for authority.” defended.
Last month, it was reported that George had already been suspended from school for more than two weeks due to his kinky dreadlocks. When he showed up at school with the same hairstyle on September 16, his mother said he was suspended again. “He has to sit in a chair for eight hours in a private room,” she told reporters. “It’s very uncomfortable. He said his back hurts every day when he gets home from having to sit in a chair.”
