A Texas court ruling on a Black student wearing hair in long locs reflects history of racism in schools

America’s schools don’t always welcome cultural expression. MoMo Productions via Getty Images by Kenjus T. Watson, American University A Texas judge ruled on Feb. 22, 2024, that the Barbers Hill School District didn’t violate the law when it punished Darryl George, a Black student, for wearing his hair in long locs. The Texas law in question – the CROWN Act – prohibits discrimination against hairstyles in schools and workplaces. The school district argued – and Judge Chap B. Cain III agreed – that the law doesn’t mention anything about hair length. In the following Q&A, Kenjus Watson, an education professor at American University who studies the psychological and social effects of racism, discusses how the decision upholds a long-standing legacy of cultural assimilation . What message has the court just sent? I’d argue it’s a harsh reminder that the natural appearance, cultural expressions and freedom of Black children are incompatible with the objectives and ideals of the school system in the U.S. Those objectives and ideals were created to establish social order, enforce conformity, demand cultural assimilation and suppress marginalized groups. The court decision in Texas – and the no-long-hair policy in the Barbers Hill Independent School District – might...