On August 13, a new law preventing ethnic hair discrimination was signed by Governor B. Pritzker. In essence, Illinois schools will no longer be allowed to employ discriminatory practices regarding hairstyles historically associated with Black people, such as cornrows, dreadlocks, braids, and twists.
According to NBC News, the new law is called the Jett Hawkins Law after Gus “Jett” Hawkins, named after a four-year-old Black student forced to remove his braids because the hairstyle violated the Chicago school’s dress code.
The young boy’s mother, Ida Nelson, began to promote a campaign to raise awareness of her child’s situation, emphasizing that condemning those hairstyles can adversely affect children’s educational development.
Nelson told the news outlet, “For us, this is bigger than just hair. Our hair is an extension of who we are as a race and is deeply connected to our cultural identity. This is one huge step towards improving the mental health outcomes for our children, as it ensures that they will be in healthier learning environments.”
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The Chicago-Sun Times reported that Senator Mike Simmons is a Black lawmaker who rocks dreadlocks and advocated for the law, having also experienced discrimination.
“Black youth in school settings shouldn’t have to be restricted by outdated and often racist dress codes that only serve to humiliate students of color who want to wear their hair in a style that honors their heritage, ancestry, and culture,” Simmons said.
“I understand what this feels like personally, to be made to be humiliated in front of your classmates. To have authority figures belittle you and humiliate you in front of other people because of something that is God-given is entirely unacceptable.”
“I want the next generation of young folks, from all backgrounds, to have the same opportunities I had, and I don’t want them to have to go through some of the same things I went through,” he added.
