Barbers Hill ISD community reacts after student sent to alternative school over his dreadlocks
MONT BELVIEU, Texas - A Barbers Hill High School student at the center of a lawsuit spent his first day in alternative school today because he refuses to cut his dreadlocks. On the same day, the family filed a federal lawsuit against Barbers Hill ISD they were told 18-year-old Darryl George was being sent to an alternative school for "misconduct" because he wouldn't cut his dreads.
We have photos of the Barbers Hill High School Junior, who's already spent a month in in-school suspension, going into the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program for the first time.
"That's unfair I would say. It's unfortunate. They're sending him away from his friends. He's pinned his hair up already, and it's not falling below his neckline and the other requirements he should be fine to go to school," says resident Michael Watson.
SUGGESTED: Barbers Hill student suspended over his hair to be sent to alternative school program
The Barbers Hill ISD policy prohibits boys from having hair longer than their eyebrows, earlobes, or the top of a t-shirt collar.
"Kids need to learn the rules. They're going to have rules when they leave school, and they'll have to follow rules wherever they are," says one Mont Belvieu resident who says her kids attended Barbers Hill ISD.
"I don't think that's going to stop him from being able to work and I think that's what they're pushing, saying it's to allow the kids to be able to look professional, and I don't think that will hurt him in the long run," Watson adds.
"I think it's a disgrace. The child has a right to be an individual and be who he is. Come on. I mean so what? That's who he is," says Mont Belvieu resident Jada Reeder whose children also attended Barbers Hill.
"We're actually part of a ministry where we require people to cut their hair to come into our ministry," explains Mont Belvieu resident Timothy Dew.
Barbers Hill has previously said their policy doesn't violate the CROWN Act, created after Barbers Hill student DeAndre Arnold filed a lawsuit in 2020 saying he was being discriminated against because of his dreadlocks.
What do taxpayers think about all the lawsuits being filed and taxpayer money being used to fight this issue in court? "I think it's a good cause. I think it's a good cause," says Dew.
"I think it's stupid. It's outrageous and honestly, I think it's time for a change," adds Reeder.
The George Family Attorney Allie Booker says, "It's retaliation. During the grievance (meeting) they asked me to agree to take the case out of federal court. I told them no. All of this was at the grievance...today they filed a motion to pull (the case) out of federal court and the judge struck the motion for non-compliance with court rules. So they retaliated by putting Darryl in DAEP."
Family spokesperson Dr. Candice Matthews adds, "Darryl feels scared as he stands in front of the DAEP building! Why do they hate us so much? Our skin is our sin!"
While Barbers Hill ISD declined to comment or an in-person interview for the original story, the district sent an email today saying George was not sent to an alternative school due in "retaliation" to the family filing a lawsuit, as claimed by the family's attorney. Barbers Hill also added the following statement:
"The student did not get placed in his current disciplinary placement because of his hair. Confidentiality does not allow us to disclose the infractions that caused his current disciplinary placement but it was unequivocally not because of his hair," Barbers Hill Superintendent Dr. Greg Poole.