TEXAS — Due to their alleged violation of the CROWN Act, 51 school districts in Texas have received letters from the American Civil Liberties Union.

What You Need To Know

  • On Sept. 1, 2023, the CROWN Act was enacted to prevent discrimination based on hair texture or protective hairstyles historically linked to race, including afros, cornrows, braids and locs

  • The ACLU has urged Texas schools districts to modify their policies for the 2024-25 school year, ensuring students’ constitutional rights to self-expression and equal treatment are respected

  • In August 2023, Darryl George, a Black student at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, was removed from class for violating the dress code. His locs were longer than permitted

On Sept. 1, 2023, the CROWN Act was enacted to prevent discrimination based on hair texture or protective hairstyles historically linked to race, such as afros, cornrows, braids and locs.

The ACLU has advised school districts to make changes to their policies for the 2024-25 school year in order to uphold students’ constitutional rights of self-expression and fair treatment.

Chloe Kempf, an attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said, “All Texas school districts — including those that we have identified — must immediately comply with the Texas CROWN Act. Not only is it the law – but it’s essential for ensuring that students of color are free to be themselves and to express their racial and cultural identity at school.”

The list of schools that received a letter includes:

  • Advantage Academy
  • Amigos Por Vida-Friends For Life Public Charter School
  • Boling ISD
  • Borden County ISD
  • Bovina ISD
  • Calallen ISD
  • Cisco ISD
  • Comstock ISD
  • Cotton Center ISD
  • Crawford ISD
  • Devers ISD
  • Douglass ISD
  • Farwell ISD
  • Floydada ISD
  • Harlingen ISD
  • Huckabay ISD
  • Ingram ISD
  • Iola ISD
  • Jim Ned CISD
  • La Feria ISD
  • La Villa ISD
  • Latexo ISD
  • Lingleville ISD
  • Malone ISD
  • Meadow ISD
  • Nazareth ISD
  • Newman International Academy
  • Panther Creek CISD
  • Paradise ISD
  • Perrin-Whitt CISD
  • Raymondville ISD
  • Robert Lee ISD
  • Roby CISD
  • Roma ISD
  • Runge ISD
  • Sabinal ISD
  • Santa Anna ISD
  • Santo ISD
  • Simms ISD
  • Sundown ISD
  • Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies
  • Tolar ISD
  • Walcott ISD
  • Wheeler ISD
  • White Deer ISD
  • Whiteface CISD
  • Whitharral ISD
  • Wink-Loving ISD
  • Winona ISD
  • Winters ISD
  • Zephyr ISD

In August 2023, Darryl George, a Black student at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, was removed from class for violating the dress code. His locs were longer than school policy permitted.

A lawsuit was filed by George’s family, alleging discrimination and a breach of the CROWN Act. In February, however, a Texas judge ruled that the school district's punishment did not violate the CROWN Act.

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