Lawsuit Filed Against Texas Governor and Attorney General for Suspension of Black High School Student Over Hairstyle

A civil rights lawsuit was filed on Saturday against Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton by the family of Darryl George, a Black high school student from Mont Belvieu. The lawsuit is in response to the ongoing suspension of George, a 17-year-old junior at Barbers Hill High School, for his hairstyle.

George has been serving an in-school suspension since August 31st, after school officials determined that his dreadlocks fell below his eyebrows and ear lobes, violating the district’s dress code.

Darresha George, Darryl’s mother, spoke to reporters before walking across the street to the school with her son on Monday. She expressed her frustration with the situation and said that her son’s hair is a part of his identity.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, claims that the school district’s dress code is discriminatory and violates George’s civil rights. It also cites the CROWN Act, a law passed in 2019 that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race.

The George family’s attorney, Randall Kallinen, said that the school district’s dress code is outdated and needs to be revised. He added that the school district should be embracing diversity and not punishing students for their hairstyles.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to end George’s suspension and prevent the school district from enforcing the dress code in a discriminatory manner. It also seeks damages for George’s emotional distress.