A Texas superintendent doubled down on a school district's decision to punish a black student with dreadlocks for violating the dress code, despite facing a lawsuit.
Barbers Hill Independent School District Superintendent Greg Poole published a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle on January 14 defending his suspension of students for having too long hair. He said districts with traditional dress codes are safer and achieve higher academic performance.
“We will not lose sight of our primary goal of holding our students to high standards by bowing to political pressure or reacting to misinformed media coverage. They have ‘lesser’ goals that ultimately harm children,” Poole wrote.
One part of the ad that drew particular ire was when Poole claimed that “being American requires adjustment.”
“Our military academies…maintain strict dress requirements. They believe that to be an American, we must adapt to the positive benefits of unity and be part of something bigger than ourselves. We understand that this is necessary,” Poole said.
Arne Duncan, President Obama's former Secretary of Education, responded to the X article by saying, “Boards of Education, please do your job and fire this superintendent.”
The school district claims 18-year-old high school student Darryl George's twisted dreadlocks violate regulations that limit hair length for boys. The district said students with other districts follow the length policy.
“There are African American students who have longer hair than the dress code allows. “Although it is based on the belief that we cling to outdated values and social norms, academic excellence never goes out of style,” Poole said in the ad. .
Meanwhile, students said they were stressed and frustrated by what they believed to be unfair punishment. He argued that styling hair in knots or twists on the top of the head should not be considered a violation of hair length regulations.
A trial is scheduled for February 22nd to determine whether the district's dress code violates the Crown Act. A new Texas law that went into effect in September prohibits hair discrimination based on race, allowing employers and schools to discriminate against people based on hair type or protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, dreadlocks, twists and Bantu knots. It is forbidden to punish people.
“We'd be happy if our opinions were heard as well. We're glad things are progressing and we're able to move past this situation,” George said of the upcoming lawsuit.
“I have an 18-year-old son who wants to go to school and get an education, and you guys are messing with him. Why?” said Daresha George, the student's mother. Told.
“His grades have declined. Dramatically,” his mother told NBC News in September. “He hasn't received a proper education.”
In an affidavit filed by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, George claimed that he was subjected to “cruel treatment.”
“I love my hair. It's sacred and it's my strength,” George wrote. “All I want to do is go to school and be a model student. I'm being harassed and treated like a dog by school officials.”
The superintendent did not respond to a request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
