What beef do high schools have with Black students’ hair?
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Despite the CROWN Act being passed in nearly 24 states, Black people in those areas are still facing the consequences of simply expressing themselves through their hair. Specifically, high school students.
If you’re unaware, the CROWN Act is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination in workplaces, schools, and housing policies. The law was passed in New Jersey in 2019 after a Black high school wrestler was forced to cut off his locks after a referee threatened to have him forfeit his match during a wrestling event in 2018.
Now, nearly five years later history is repeating itself.
This latest incident occurred during a girl’s high school basketball game in Maplewood, N.J. Last week, two white referees did not allow a member of the Columbia High School basketball team to enter the game because she had beads in her hair, according to Gothamist.
To calm the issue, she tried multiple times to tie her back harder and harder but they still didn’t listen.
She was only allowed to enter the game after her coaches went through the trouble of pointing out the rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations. They specifically state, “Hard items, including, but not limited to, beads, barrettes, bobby pins and other adornments in the hair that are securely fastened to the head and do not present an increased risk to the player, teammates or opponents are allowed.”
That’s like explaining the law to a police officer or the rules of the courtroom to a judge. It just doesn’t make sense. Referees need to know these things.
As a result, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is investigating the incident after receiving a letter from the Maplewood-South Orange School District.
Straight From 
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