A mother in Texas is fighting to change her son’s school’s hair policy, which she believes is outdated and discriminatory. In April 2022, Tynesha Bullock spoke with KPRC 2 about East Bernard High School’s dress code and hair policy, which states that boys cannot have hair past their ears and that braided hair or twisted rows/strands are not allowed.
Bullock’s son, Dyree, has locks in his hair and was told by the school that he would have to cut them in order to enroll. Bullock reached out to the school superintendent to request a religious exemption, but was told that it could not be granted at this time.
Although the school claims that no enrollment has been denied, Bullock says that she never officially enrolled Dyree due to the policy and is instead homeschooling him. This has made it difficult for Dyree to pursue his dream of attending college and becoming a veterinarian, as he feels it is “10 times harder” to get noticed by colleges when he’s not in school.
Other schools in Texas have revised similar policies, such as the Barbers Hill Independent School District and Magnolia ISD. Bullock hopes that East Bernard High School will follow suit and change its policy so that her son and other students can express themselves without fear of discrimination.
