Judge dismisses racial but allows sex discrimination claims in Texas school case
Texas student's racial claims dismissed, sex discrimination case proceeds
A federal judge dismissed claims of racial discrimination but allowed claims of sex discrimination to proceed in a civil rights lawsuit involving a Texas student disciplined for the length of his locs hairstyle.
Trump-appointed US District Court Judge Jeffrey Vincent Brown denied Darryl George's claim that his Texas school racially discriminated against him by punishing him for his locs because there are not enough cases of such discrimination to establish a pattern. Typical. pic.twitter.com/TqznxPZS9L
— ig: profponton | no thrones on arakko (@thurgoodhamer) August 7, 2024
Judge Jeffrey Vincent Brown stated that Darryl George, a student at Barbers Hill High School, and his family failed to demonstrate a “persistent, widespread practice of disparate, race-based enforcement” of the hair policy. The lawsuit mentioned only George’s case and another involving a Black teen suspended over his hair, which Brown found insufficient to establish a consistent pattern of racial discrimination.
Brown noted that the school district has reasons for its dress code but failed to explain the rationale behind the distinctions between male and female students. Thus, the sex discrimination claim was allowed to proceed.
Claims related to George’s First Amendment rights, mental anguish, and requests for compensatory damages and relief were dismissed. George’s attorneys have been contacted for comments.
Barbers Hill Independent School District Superintendent Greg Poole stated that the dismissal of racial claims supports the district’s stance that high expectations for students are not racist. He emphasised that the district’s policies have been community-driven for 95 years and that maintaining high standards is why the district is highly regarded.
The ruling follows another federal judgment which determined that the state’s CROWN Act, which bans discrimination against certain hair textures and styles, does not prevent school dress codes from limiting hair length. Therefore, the district did not violate state law by disciplining George for his locs.
George’s lawsuit argued that his suspension violated the CROWN Act and claimed that Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton failed to enforce the law, seeking an injunction to prevent the school district from punishing students for hair length.
The judge dismissed claims against Abbott and Paxton, who argued they are immune from lawsuits and lack enforcement authority under the CROWN Act. Their attorneys have also been contacted for comments.
