Brickbat: Knotted, Polka-Dotted, Twisted, Beaded, Braided

Hope Cozart says her 11-year-old son Maddox was given an in-school suspension and confined to an isolated cubicle for more than a week at Raymond Mays Middle School in Troy, Texas, because he wore his hair braided atop his head. Cozart says school officials told her the hairstyle violated a rule in the student handbook that says boys' hair "may not be worn in a ponytail, top knot, bun, or similar styles." Troy Independent School District Superintendent Neil Jeter told a local TV station he could not comment on disciplinary actions taken against any student.

Comments

[Adans smith]

I'm knot a fan of this look on a guy, but that was an over reaction.

[Malvolio]

Yes, everyone has the Constitutional right to make himself look like an idiot.

[m4019597]

I’ve got no problem with schools having gender specific dress and style codes, as long as its enforced consistently and fairly, with warnings and opportunity for kids to fix their errors.

At some point in life, boys need to learn to dress neatly as boys, to respect their classmates and the learning environment. Same for girls with other girls.

If they want to look like a douche in a braid, stay home and don’t ruin it for the rest of the kids.

[m4019597]

Because this kid got warned and together with his mother ignored the warning, the “suspension” is totally fair.

White mommy wants the kid to look like his black daddy in braids, lame excuse.

Braids on boys is gggggghey.

[Longtobefree]

" . . . gender specific dress and style codes . . . "
Currently unconstitutional per the supreme court.

[American Mongrel]

How are girls sports not sex/gender discrimination? It was determined boy's sports were, and thus girls were allowed to wrestle and play football. I dont understand why we pretend the supreme court actually fairly interprets anything.

[Ben of Houston]

I have to disagree on one point. A samurai topnot is very manly, as is a braided Viking mane.

[Its_Not_Inevitable]

A thousand years ago...

[Rossami]

Tell that to the vets at the VA in their ponytails and sandals.

[Ben of Houston]

Tell me Willy Nelson isn't manly again, my friend.
Them's fightin' words in my state

[Malvolio]

A samurai topnot is very manly

If you’re a samurai! Otherwise, you are just a posing idiot.

Of course, if the schools want to stop people from acting like idiots, they should start with the administration.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Cozart told KCEN-TV she was outraged by the disciplinary action at Raymond Mays Middle School, part of the Troy Independent School District, because her son Maddox asked for the hairstyle to celebrate his Black heritage.

Texas or not, I don't see the school prevailing. The manbun is heritage.

[Mickey Rat]

So she and her son were both aware of the school dress code, and wanted an exception made for him for racial reasons?

[TangoDelta]

Top knots have also been traditional Chinese hair styles for both men and women for centuries. The rule is both sexist and racist and should be abolished. Nobody should need an exception for such a clearly silly rule that serves no purpose other than to give authoritarians another tool to punish non-compliance.

[Longtobefree]

Cultural appropriation?

[mad.casual]

As a native Hoosier, I have what I believe is a fair compromise: Maddox can keep the braids so long as he and everyone who shares his heritage stops culturally appropriating basketball. I'm could understand Texans feel similar about American Football. If Maddox still wants to participate in sports and celebrate his heritage, he can take up stick fighting or donkey racing.

[Squirrelloid]

It's clear sex discrimination, which puts the school district in violation of Title 7. Just because a dress code exists doesn't mean it can be enforced without violating someone's civil rights. School district should end up with a huge fine and a court smackdown from this.

[mad.casual]

Title 7 speaks to employers/employees. Unless Maddox is employed by the school, I think you mean a different title or just violates the CRA more broadly.

[Longtobefree]

1. None of the forbidden styles involve braiding the hair. So the style he was punished for was NOT "similar". Sue the bastards! (for wasting public resources on bullshit)
2. Per the supreme court, there is no longer any such thing as a "boy" or "girl", so the silly-ass rule is unconstitutional. Sue the bastards!

[Squirrelloid]

It's not that there's no such thing as a boy or girl, its that the state isn't allowed to treat them any differently.

[mad.casual]

My understanding is that the 'Independent' in 'Troy Independent School District' means the people in some small region of TX paid taxes and elected people to put these rules in place. And, being independent, the school isn't governed by any municipality or state. If the rule can be sued out of existence there, I see no reason why it and similar rules couldn't be sued out of existence at a charter or private religious school.

[Rossami]

It may be independent but it's still governed by the state. Specifically, it may not be part of the Texas State Board of Education (assuming such an entity exists) but legally, it is a subordinate arm of the Texas state government, inheriting the sovereignty and obligations thereof.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

None of this would have happened if Texas hadn't dropped all of its COVID restrictions and put billions (billions!) of students in mortal danger.

[mad.casual]

I think this has been gone over before but, can a Texan inform us as to the specific meaning of the word 'Independent' in 'Troy Independent School District'?

I know Chicago Public Schools will let Maddox braid his hair and celebrate his black heritage all he likes and I'm pretty sure that's the point.

[Ben of Houston]

The "ISD" simply means that it's not run by a city, but has its own school board and superintendent. Almost all of the schools in the state are. This doesn't change the fact that it's a tax supported government entity subordinate to Austin. It's really not that complicated.

[mad.casual]

This doesn’t change the fact that it’s a tax supported government entity subordinate to Austin. It’s really not that complicated.

Do you really think the FedGov, or anyone outside the school district, Austin, or the State of Texas should give two shits about one kid who can't get a haircut because he's black? Chicago Public Schools is a money sink so bad that the city, state, and now country are chipping in to foot the bill. Are you enjoying your simplicity?

[mad.casual]

Not complicated at all:
"Get rid of taxes. Get rid of public schools." is a pro-libertarian argument.

"Get rid of public schools unless they let kids celebrate their cultural heritage in completely arbitrary fashion." is a pro-social justice argument.

[Ben of Houston]

Dude, you asked a question. I answered it. The legal arrangement isn't complicated, and they are a government entity. Trying to tie yourself into knots to say otherwise is ridiculous and rather ignorant.

[CaptainJack]

Can we spread this man-bun ban to adults too? I mean it seems like a bit of a constitutional overreach, but perhaps if we just call it a tax like Obamacare!

Did you in 2021 at any time, as a male, wear your hair in a bun? If you answer yes, you pay an extra $2000 on your taxes.

Seems a great way to get rid of the scourge of man-bun wearing douches.

Of course then the douches would just be undercover and amongst us until they found some other equally annoying way to advertise themselves. But hey then something else to tax!!! National Debt eliminated!!!

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[Sanjuro Tsubaki]

Public schools are becoming nothing more than petty fiefdoms for idiots and the criminally insane.