A Black male student who refused to cut his dreadlocks has been transferred to an alternative school for youths with emotional or behavioral problems.
Darryl George, 18, was suspended last month from a Texas high school for “failure to comply” with rules regarding hair.
When his suspension ended and he returned to Barbers Hill High School with the same hairstyle, he was placed on in-school suspension.
Following his second suspension, George was transferred to EPIC, an alternative school program, from Oct. 12 through Nov. 29 for “repeatedly violating the dress and grooming policy,” read a letter sent to his parents by principal Lance Murphy.
The letter also says that George will be allowed to return to regular classroom instruction on Nov. 30 but will not be allowed to return to his high school’s campus until then unless he’s there to discuss his conduct with school administrators.
His family cannot appeal the decision.
“I want them to stop being discriminatory against Black and brown kids, not just mines, but any kids,” said Darresha George, Darryl’s mother.
Barbers Hill Independent School District prohibits male students from wearing their hair below the eyebrows, ear lobes or the top of a T-shirt collar, according to the student handbook.
Additionally, hair must be clean, well-groomed, geometrical and not an unnatural color or variation, the handbook states.
The rules are meant to prepare students for the workforce where the dress code is strictly enforced.
