Texas judge OKs hair-based suspension of Black student

What happened?

A Texas judge on Thursday said the Houston-area Barbers Hill school district did not violate the state's CROWN Act when it punished junior Darryl George for refusing to cut his hair. The district said George's hair, worn in locs twisted and tied on the top of his head, would hang below his eyebrows, earlobes or shirt collar if worn down, breaching its grooming policy.

How did we get here?

Texas enacted its version of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act in September, joining 23 other states. The law prohibits employers and schools from penalizing people due to hair texture or protective hairstyles associated with race, including Afros and locs. Texas District Judge Chap Cain III said the law does not specifically mention hair length.

Who said what?

The ruling "validated our position" that "the CROWN Act does not give students unlimited self-expression," Barbers Hill Superintendent Greg Poole said. Cain's interpretation makes no sense, said George's lawyer Allie Booker. "You can't make braids with a crew cut. You can't loc anything that isn't long."

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What next?

Booker said she will appeal the ruling and seek a federal injunction to return George to class after months of in-school suspension and alternative schooling.