Family sues Texas Governor Greg Abbott after student's suspension for his hairstyle in another alleged discrimination case

The family of a 17-year-old African-American student in Texas sued Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, alleging that officials failed to enforce a recently passed law prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyle, marking another case of discrimination. .

Teenager Darryl George, a student at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, has been suspended since the end of August because educational authorities considered that he violated the dress code by wearing his dreadlocks below his eyebrows and earlobes.

The student’s mother, Darresha George, and the attorney handling the case filed the appeal in federal court in Houston. In it, they assured that the teenager’s hairstyle does not violate the rules, she reported The Associated Presswho spoke with the family.

They explained that Darryl’s hair, contrary to what the school district claims, is neatly tied up and that his dreadlocks are intertwined on top of his head.

“She should be allowed to wear her hair the way she does because the so-called neutral grooming policy has no close association with learning or safety and, when enforced, disproportionately impacts Black men,” the advocate said. Allie Booker on the teenager.

The plaintiffs also stated that both Abbott and Paxton have failed to protect the student’s constitutional rights against discrimination and violations of their liberty. And, with this legal procedure, they hope that an order will be issued to stop Darryl’s suspension while the case is in court.

The student had been suspended on August 31 and, when he had to return to classes on Monday, September 18, they suspended him again. This was reported by her mother, who previously assured the AP that the hairstyle has cultural and religious importance for her family.

“Our hair is where our strength is, those are our roots,” he said.

The Barbers Hill Independent School District, indicates the news agency, requires boys to have clean, well-groomed, geometric hair and not have an unnatural color or variation.

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