Jennifer McGee, a mother from Devine, is speaking out after her son was suspended from his high school over his hairstyle.
Dalton Baugh has been a student at Devine ISD since kindergarten. He’s a senior at the high school now but, as of Monday, his mother says that he’s been suspended because school officials think his hair is distracting.
McGee said that a school official told her son he may not be able to walk at graduation if he keeps his hair the way it is.
“Here we are halfway through the year, having to transfer to another district which may not accept him,” she said.
McGee said that Dalton was suspended for three days, then was suspended again on Thursday.
However, the school district says that they legally cannot suspend a student for more than three days at a time and wouldn’t comment on the incident.
These are the rules regarding hair in the district’s student code of conduct:
"Must be kept clean, neat, and cut in a reasonable and non-distracting style… boy’s hair length is not to extend past the bottom of the collar in the back.”
“I’m disgusted by the way they are focusing on his hairstyle and not his academics,” she said. “I’m embarrassed to have my son at Devine ISD and I’m hoping that he can walk the stage.”
Dalton is set to return to school on Tuesday and has no plans to change his hairstyle.