Shutterstock / Dmytro Zinkevych
The Texas CROWN Act prohibits schools and certain other entities from discriminating against hairstyles historically associated with race.
The ACLU of Texas said Wednesday that 51 Lone Star State school districts are violating theTexas CROWN Act, which bans race-based hair discrimination. The civil-rights groupsent letters to each of the districts warning that they’re breaking the law by refusing to comply.
The Texas CROWN Act, passed in May 2023 with overwhelming support in the state legislature, bans schools, workplaces and housing authorities from discriminating against hairstyles historically associated with race, including cornrows, dreadlocks, afros or braids.
“All Texas school districts — including those that we have identified — must immediately comply with the Texas CROWN Act,” Chloe Kempf, an ACLU of Texas attorney, said in a statement. “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. All students, no matter their race, religion, gender or how they wear their hair, deserve to feel welcome at school, without the threat of discriminatory dress codes.”
ACLU officials said the superintendent of one school district that received the letter — North Texas’ Tolar ISD — explained that the district will bring its policies in line with the CROWN Act before the next school year. At press time, it’s not clear how many others responded to the letter.
Although none of the districts called out by ACLU of Texas are in San Antonio, some are in South Texas and the Texas Hill Country. Those include Harlingen ISD, Ingram ISD, Roma ISD, Raymondville ISD and others.
The ACLU’s full list of noncompliant districts is available online.
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