Black Texas Mother Sues State Officials for Not Upholding CROWN Act Amid Teen’s Suspension [Video]

Today (Sept. 23), a Black Texas mother filed a lawsuit against Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, alleging their failure to enforce the CROWN Act. The legislation, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination, was signed into law by Abbott in May and went into effect on Sept. 1.

via: ABC News

The family filed the complaint alleging that Darryl George, a junior at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, has been subjected to “improper discipline and abrogation of both his Constitutional and state rights,” as a result of the governor’s and the AG’s failure to provide equal protection and due process under the law for the plaintiffs; ensuring school districts and schools refrain from discrimination based on race and sex and from using the Crown Act of Texas to cause outright race and discrimination, according to a copy of the lawsuit ABC News obtained.

ABC News’ requests for comments from Abbott and Paxton were not immediately answered.

Darryl George has been sitting on a small stool at school every school day since Aug. 31, back aching, as he receives his schoolwork online or through a classmate, according to his mother Darresha George. The school claimed that his dreadlocks violated their dress and grooming code. He was recently issued an additional five days of in-school suspension (ISS) after already serving weeks of ISS.

“Every day my son comes home with tears in his eyes. He’s frustrated; he’s outraged, aggravated, and it’s breaking him down mentally, physically and emotionally,” Darresha George told ABC News. “I have to see him taking ibuprofen because his back hurts.”

Texas enacted the CROWN Act on Sept. 1, making it unlawful to discriminate against “protective hairstyles” in schools, Allie Booker, Darresha George’s attorney, told ABC News.

“Any student dress or grooming policy adopted by a school district, including a student dress or grooming policy for any extracurricular activity, may not discriminate against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race,” according to the CROWN Act. “‘Protective hairstyle’ includes braids, locks and twists.'”

The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” was passed with a bipartisan vote in the Texas legislature and signed into law by Abbott in May.

State Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Houston), who was one of the authors of the Texas CROWN Act, told ABC News in an interview that he has spoken with the family and offered his support.

“We’re going to protect him. They’re not in it alone. So, we as the Texas Legislative Black Caucus stand behind him,” Reynolds said. “This was one of our top five legislative priorities this session, and we fought like hell to pass it and we won’t go quietly in the night.”

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