The Black teen who had been disciplined multiple times over his natural hair is now facing an even more dramatic form of punishment: disciplinary school.
Darryl George, 18, was served in-school suspension twice since August 31 after coming into Barbers Hill High School with his dreadlocks. The Barber Hill ISD student handbook prohibits male students from having hair longer than the top of their T-shirt collar. However, George’s family tells The AP that he often kept his locs neatly braided on his head, therefore, not drooping to his shoulders.
Upon the battle with school administrators, the family decided to take legal action with a formal complaint against the Texas Education Agency. They also filed an additional federal civil rights lawsuit against the governor and attorney general for failing to enforce the state’s CROWN Act - which happened to be signed the day after George was first apprehended about his hair.
Still, in a notice obtained by NPR, the district ordered George to be placed in a disciplinary alternative education program until November 30. However, dress code violation wasn’t the only thing cited in the letter.
Read more from NPR:
The notice, dated Wednesday, addressed to Darryl’s mother, Darresha George, and signed by Barbers Hill High School Principal Lance Murphy, cites violations of “multiple infractions of campus and classroom rules” including:
- Disruption of the in-school suspension classroom;
- Failure to comply with directives from staff/administration;
- Violation of tardy policy; and
- Violation of the dress and grooming policy.
All of the alleged infractions excluding the tardiness are apparently connected to his natural hairstyle. Darryl will be allowed to return to class on Nov. 30, the notice states.
Activist Candice Matthews told reporters George felt a bit of fear going into the disciplinary school on his first day but stands strong in the decision not to cut his hair.
A family attorney for the George family told NPR the notice appeared to be a form of retaliation for all the legal hell they’ve been throwing at the school district. The timing is a lil sketchy, ain’t it? Plus, there’s still no explanation as to how the school was able to tip-toe around the CROWN protections afforded to George.