Darryl George, an 18-year old African American student from a Texas high school, who has been suspended for an extended period due to the length of his locs, has been ordered to attend an alternative school. This direction was issued to his mother in a notice from his school principal, which has come to light.
George is set to be shuffled off to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program for the remainder of the month of November, as indicated by the notice at hand.
The written notice, authorized by Principal Lance Murphy of Barbers Hill High School, points to multiple instances where George was purportedly found in violation of campus and classroom policies. These violations include disruptive behaviour, noncompliance with administrative instructions, tardiness, and non-adherence to the dress and grooming codes.
In the document, Murphy elaborates, “In my capacity as the Principal, I have ascertained that your son has committed recurrent disciplinary infractions that undermine the District’s previously conveyed student conduct standards.”
The move to transfer George to an alternative educational program serves as the most recent development in an ongoing legal conflict regarding whether his loc hairstyle—typically worn braided or tied back—contravenes the school district’s dress code policy, which stipulates the maximum length allowed for male student’s hair.
Previously, the school authorities had cautioned George and his family about the potential consequences of repeated violations of the dress code, including a possible referral to an alternative institution.
Standing by their refusal to trim the young man’s hair, the Georges argue that the school policy contravenes the Texas CROWN Act. This law outlaws discrimination predicated upon hairstyles linked with racial identity.
In the course of the past month, both Darryl and his mother, Darresha, lodged a federal civil rights lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, along with the state attorney general and school authorities, alleging their failure to uphold the law.
The notice goes on to clarify that George will be granted permission to return to school on November 30, but also expressly forbids the family from challenging the decision to transfer him to the alternative school.
In a development that concerned the George family, Greg Poole, Superintendent of the Barbers Hill Independent School District, denied that George’s hair was the reason for his reassignment. “Various breaches of conduct, which we are not able to disclose due to confidentiality issues, led to his current disciplinary placement, and it was absolutely not because of his choice of hairstyle,” Poole explained.
Allie Booker, the legal counsel for George and his family, dismisses this as an act of retaliation against the family’s ongoing legal struggle with the school district.
Earlier this week, a judge from the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas rejected a move by the Barbers Hill Independent School District to shift the case from federal court, as the court records demonstrate.
“The district retaliated against Darryl by putting him in the disciplinary program after the court turned down their motion to shift the case out of federal jurisdiction,” remarked Booker.
However, district officials dismiss Booker’s allegations, stating categorically that they have no plans to intensify disciplinary measures against the student, pending the court’s ruling on the legality of the school’s grooming policy.
In a conversation with media representatives, family spokesperson and civil rights activist, Candice Matthews, expressed that George feels devastated about the decision but intends to attend the program. She added, for the record, that George has no intention of trimming his locs hair.
Since August 31, George has been serving an in-school suspension as a consequence of his hairstyle, as recorded in official court documents.
(Editors’ note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Darryl George’s age. He is confirmed to be 18 years old.)
