Everett De'Andre Arnold, et al. v. Barbers Hill Independent School District, et al.

Date: 11-03-2025

Case Number: 20-CV-1802

Judge: Not Available

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Louisiana (Harris County)

Plaintiff's Attorney:

Defendant's Attorney:

Description: Houston, Texas personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiff on civil rights violation theories.

BHISD maintains a Student Code of Conduct, setting stand-
ards for behavior and discipline within the district. Hair-length restrictions
have long existed in the Student Code of Conduct, limiting the ways male
students could wear their hair. Halfway through the 2019–2020 school year,
the Board of Trustees amended the hair policy. The new policy provided:
Male students’ hair will not extend, at any time, below the eye-
brows, or below the ear lobes. Male students’ hair must not
extend below the top of a t-shirt collar or be gathered or worn
in a style that would allow the hair to extend below the top of a
t-shirt collar, below the eyebrows, or below the ear lobes when
let down.

Notably, plaintiffs allege that the administrators restricted hair length when
worn down—regardless of whether the student wears his hair up while at
school—and removed express language that previously permitted cornrows
or locs that complied with the rest of the policy. Plaintiffs sued BHISD,
alleging the Hair Policy violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process
and Equal Protection guarantees, the First Amendment’s speech and expres-
sion protections, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Ed-
ucation Amendments of 1972, and Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code
§ 106.001.

Outcome: Motion for a protective order denied.

Affirmed

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: