Long-standing battles over natural hair, race, and identity continue to surface in Texas schools, with Barbers Hill ISD finding itself repeatedly at the epicenter of this contentious debate. De'Andre Arnold, a former Barbers Hill student who was thrust into the national spotlight for refusing to cut his dreadlocks, has since channeled his experience into activism. During a panel discussion hosted by the Legal Defense Fund and the NAACP, Arnold said, "Whenever they tried to disguise discrimination as simply a dressing and grooming policy, I knew what was going on," as he recounted his introduced challenge against the district's policy that led to his suspension in 2020, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
Arnold's legal fight is set alongside his journey in higher education, where, as a veterinary student at Louisiana State University, he is proving there's no prescribed appearance for success. "I'm going to be a veterinarian right now. Nobody expected that out of me," Arnold told the Houston Chronicle, continuing to champion for the freedom of expression and against racial discrimination.
While Arnold awaits a federal judge's decision on his pending lawsuit, a similar strife engulfs Darryl George, another Barbers Hill student reprimanded for wearing locs. According to Click2Houston, George has faced suspension and alternative school placement for his hair, which his family and attorney argue is neat and tied in accordance with his faith. They are challenging the school's actions as a violation of Texas' CROWN Act, legislation meant to safeguard against such discrimination..
During a press conference before a mandatory hearing, Texas Rep. Ron Reynolds, one of the CROWN Act's authors, expressed indignation at the school's disregard for the law, stating, "We worked religiously and relentlessly because it was Barbers Hill that led us to want to file the CROWN Act in the first place." Reynolds reinforced his stance, adding that students like George should not have to contend with issues like hairstyle when "they have to deal with bullying and peer pressure," as obtained by Click2Houston.
