There's nothing new about policing the black body; this is a tradition that began during chattel slavery. However, this is a shameful policy position on the part of the school and a decision from the judge. They're trying to force a Black teenager to cut his hair simply to be allowed in the classroom. What type of message does this send to Black children and adults that a law designed to protect them from hair discrimination has failed to do just that? Perhaps the takeaway is that civil rights legislation is a beautiful yet weak shield for racial discrimination. The case of Darryl George shows that without enforcement, the promise to treat Black people equally is an empty one.