“This isn’t a hair bill”
Friday, May 28, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The Illinois House on Thursday approved a bill that would prohibit schools from issuing policies on hairstyles traditionally associated with race and ethnicity, including braids, dreadlocks and cornrows.
The bill passed the Senate last week. Before going to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk for his signature, however, the legislation is headed back to the Senate for approval of an amendment that would refer to the act as “the Jett Hawkins Law,” after a 4-year-old Chicago boy who was ordered to take his braids out due to his school’s dress code earlier this year. […]
“(A school) would no longer be able to maintain their dress code and hair code moving forward if this passes, in a private school that for years and years and years has maintained a certain look of their students, regardless of race?” Rep. Anthony DeLuca, a Chicago Heights Democrat, asked on the House floor Thursday.
“I think a lot of things have been done in the country for years and years and years … and that doesn’t always make them right or good,” Harris said. “If we need to make this accommodation to treat people with respect, I think that’s a worthwhile goal.”
* SJ-R…
“I hope that everyone understands that this isn’t a hair bill, it’s about treating people right, respecting people, allowing people to be who they want to be,” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago.
Harris clarified the bill does not stop schools from having a dress code, but that was not satisfactory for state Rep. Tom Morrison, R-Palatine.
“I encourage other members to vote no,” Morrison said. “This does affect private schools, and I think this is an issue that is best left up to that individual school administration and the parents that choose to send their children there.”
* Sun-Times…
“I think this is an issue that’s just best left up to that individual’s school administration along with the parents that choose to send their children there, so I would encourage a no vote,” state Rep. Thomas Morrison, R-Palatine, said.
Harris, who sponsored the House version, stood with the bill’s lead Senate sponsor, state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, during the debate.
Harris said the goal was to address past wrongs.
“I think a lot of things have been done in the country for years and years and years and years because that’s the way they’ve been done for years and years and years and years,” the North Side Democrat said. “That doesn’t always make them right or good, and if we need to make this accommodation to treat people with respect, I think that’s a worthwhile goal.”
- Back to the Future - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:03 am:
If Leader Harris does as good a job on this Bill as he routinely does on ethics legislation year after year then this hair discrimination Bill will be going nowhere.
- Shield - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:14 am:
- Back to the Future - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:03 am:
Reading comprehension not your strong suit? The bill passed is on the Senate calendar for concurrence. Maybe Back to School would be a better nickname.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:21 am:
How many white kids have had their hairstyle challenged?
- Concerned Dem - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:23 am:
Odd that the GOP would be against legislation making it easier for someone to exercise their own personal freedom. /s
- Dotnonymous - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:34 am:
The Republican Party does not appear to be concerned with protecting freedom.
I had occasion to speak to my (Springfield) Attorney yesterday…who confessed he had formally left the Republican Party…after a lifetime of support…because conscience.
- Steve Polite - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:34 am:
=“(A school) would no longer be able to maintain their dress code and hair code moving forward if this passes, in a private school that for years and years and years has maintained a certain look of their students, regardless of race?”=
If you are different, you must be assimilated into the Borg.
- Watcher of the Skies - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:38 am:
I think Rep. Morrison said the quiet part out loud.
- Henry Francis - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:39 am:
If you are trying to get legislators to stop focusing on hair, having Harris stand next to Simmons may not be the best strategy.
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:49 am:
===in a private school that for years and years and years has maintained a certain look of their students, regardless of race?===
I’m guessing that “certain look” is something white folks are comfortable with.
- The Failing New York Times - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 11:53 am:
DeLuca’s comment about a private school no longer being able to alter policies to “maintain a certain look” speaks to the need for this bill. Different people have different hair types and textures and making a “certain look” the acceptable standard, when that ‘look’ derives from whiteness, is racist. It teaches people that white traits are acceptable in an educational, professional setting. It embeds a sense of belonging for those that have those traits and a sense of other to those that don’t.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 12:13 pm:
===a 4-year-old Chicago boy who was ordered to take his braids out due to his school’s dress code earlier this year. […]===
A similar incident happened this year at Effingham HS when a student of color was ordered to remove his ‘do rag’. The school said it violated the dress code banning head coverings. Problem is, white kids (mostly athletes) are routinely allowed to wear hats and/or helmets in school. The kid had a legit reason for wearing it too. He had recently braided his hair and the do rag apparently keeps it from drying out. This was explained to school administration but they still suspended him when he refused to remove it. The ACLU is now involved but the admin. is doubling down. What a dumb hill to die on.
- Back to the Future - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
Shield
Good point, but been Back for Far to long to change.
Happy for Rep. Harris on passing the Hair Bill and hoping that after this legislative accomplishment he can use his incredible success as a launching pad to pass an any ethics bill.
- TheUpperRoom - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 12:29 pm:
This seems like a no-brainer. Shouldn’t even need a bill for something that is really just about decency and respect, but as usual, god forbid we have a unanimous, bipartisan “yes, this is good for everyone” vote.
- Boone's is Back - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
Our state is broke and the pension system is nearly insolvent. Yep, this seems necessary to prioritize right now.
- Rasselas - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:09 pm:
Every once in a while DeLuca lets slip a comment that reminds us that he is really a Republican from ‘Da Heights’ who landed in his current spot as part of backroom deal involving a newly re-elected state rep retiring, a couple of judgeships slated and a designated replacement mayor.
- Anon - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:13 pm:
==Every once in a while DeLuca lets slip a comment that reminds us that he is really a Republican from ‘Da Heights’==
Yup, he has one of these moments each session.
- Cheryl44 - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:25 pm:
We need to fix the budget and lots of other stuff but stopping people who should know better from harassing children seems awfully important to me.
- Demoralized - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:26 pm:
==this seems necessary to prioritize right now==
Yes, let stop work on everything else. Because we can’t possibly work on multiple things at one time.
- Backtothe Future - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
Agree with Cheryl44.
This Bill may help.
Not sure that calling the administrator that came up with the idea to punish a child for their haircut shouldn’t be called into a hearing to explain why they are acting like idiots and have someone on the local school board make a motion (seconded by another school board member) to fire the administration person because he or she is a moron that should not be involved in educating children.
- Skeptic - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 1:46 pm:
” I think this is an issue that is best left up to that individual school administration and the parents that choose to send their children there” Maybe I’m missing the point, but isn’t that the reason it’s needed in the first place?
- Enviro - Friday, May 28, 21 @ 4:35 pm:
Four African countries have upheld the right of people to wear dreadlocks for religious reasons.
https://face2faceafrica.com/article/four-african-countries-where-dreadlocks-have-been-approved-by-courts