False Claims Of Discrimination Cause Texas School District To Speak Out

Texas School District has come under the microscope in recent days for accusations of discrimination. Barber’s Hill Independent School District came under fire after telling Senior DeAndre Arnold that he will not be able to walk at graduation until he cuts his hair. His hair DeAndre says, is a part of his culture, and he doesn’t want to cut it.

There have been protests at Board Meetings that were live-streamed by the Black Lives Matter movement. These protestors appearing in the video turn their backs to anyone speaking that isn’t a part of their cause. You can see one of the protestors waving his hand in disrespect as his back is turned toward the speaker.

The Protests at the Barber's Hill ISD Board Meeting pic.twitter.com/pKDhSsqpxo

— Mary Rooke (@MaryRooke_) January 25, 2020

An elementary teacher that is in no way connected to the high school is reeling after being sent multiple threatening emails such as these.

The school has adamantly opposed the notion that this is in any way race-related. Here is the disclaimer I have family that have attended/are attending Barber’s Hill ISD. I also have family that works for the district. The reality is that Barber’s Hill has always been a strict, no-nonsense district, and people are aware of this before entering one of their schools.  I have had two cousins that have received detention for this same violation, and THEY ARE WHITE. There is proof that it is not a race issue that students of all races are held to the same standard.

If you are looking for a social justice cause to get behind, this is the wrong direction. The district is being accused because a boy and his mother do not want to cut his hair. DeAndre Arnold claims that he was not told that his hair was in violation until after Christmas break. According to the superintendent, Greg Poole, the student already had an infraction regarding his hair at the beginning of the school year.

Look at the version that CNN Spins:

Texas high school senior DeAndre Arnold will be kept from walking at graduation if he does not cut his dreadlocks to comply with his school's dress code that specifies a maximum length for male students' hair https://t.co/eILbd88G7T pic.twitter.com/y9kTtPzD3K

— CNN (@CNN) January 24, 2020

Here is the message from the Superintendent:

Texas high school student suspended over dreadlocks, family says https://t.co/Ee7OCShhmx pic.twitter.com/wpr1G8sz0I

— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) January 24, 2020

The reality is that this student has been going to Barber’s Hill since 7th grade. They have warned him multiple times about the length of his hair. Every year the families are given a student handbook that clearly states that his hair has been against the dress code.

According to Greg Poole, the superintendent, “We’ve had this policy since the inception of our district 90 years ago, and this is the first instance of any accusation that our dress code is biased. Beginning of this school year, there was a hair infraction with this student. This is actually from the beginning of his senior year. Our high school principal has been counseling [him], and if we are guilty of anything, it’s being indulgent. Because we gave ample time, but eventually there is an expectation of standard, and there is a consequence if that standard is violated.”

DeAndre says that he can’t go back to school unless his hair has been cut, but the superintendent clearly states in the video that this is false. DeAndre has not been barred from school because of his hair and is welcome to come back any time he wants.

Poole, “There is so much misinformation. The student is absolutely allowed to come to school, and we want him to come back to school. He is a great kid. He is not suspended. He has not been told he can’t come back, and he can absolutely graduate.”

Nothing is keeping him from coming back to school. The reality is that DeAndre has allowed himself to be left out of graduation. He is not compliant with a dress code that he has known about for years. The idea is that if you scream that this is racially charged enough, enough people will be beaten into submission, enough people will be called racists and bigots, the dam will break, and the kid will get his way.

This isn’t a race issue; it is a compliance issue.