A Texas judge ruled in favor of Barbers Hill Independent School District on Thursday, finding that the school district did not violate a new state law prohibiting race-based hair discrimination when it punished a black student for refusing to change his hairstyle.

The case involved Darryl George, a junior in high school, who was initially punished in August 2023 after being told that his dreadlocks violated a policy that limited the length of boys’ hair. George faced in-school suspension, where he described the treatment as inhumane. George and his family argue that the district’s punishment violates the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” The Act became law in Texas in September 2023 with an intent to forbid race-based hair discrimination at work and in schools.

The school district argued that the Texas CROWN Act solely protects hair textures and hairstyles but includes no mention of hair length. State District Judge Chap Cain III ruled in favor of the school district, citing that the school district’s punishment of George over the length of his hair is lawful under the CROWN Act.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLU) wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the school district has “repeatedly disrupted the education of Black students in the district because of their discriminatory dress codes.” In a report, the ACLU found that school districts in Texas administered policies disproportionately among male and female students based on their hair, use of makeup, earrings and sleeveless shirts.