In an unprecedented move in the state; Illinois schools will be barred from issuing rules regarding hairstyles historically associated with race or ethnicity, such as braids, twists and other haircuts, under a new law signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
According to “NBC News”; The measure, passed by the legislature and signed by Pritzker, aims to end discrimination on the basis of students' hairstyles, which is known as the Jet Hawkins Act after "Juss Jet Hawkins", a black student who was asked at the age of four to remove his braids because the hairstyle violated the dress code At his school in Chicago.
His mother, Ida Nelson, started an awareness campaign after the incident, saying that stigmatizing children's hair could negatively affect their educational development, and describing the signing of the new bill as an "important event".
"For us, this is more than just poetry. Our hair is an extension of who we are as a race and deeply connected to our cultural identity. This is a huge step toward improving mental health outcomes for our children, as it ensures that they are in healthier learning environments."
The new legislation was sponsored by Senator Mike Simmons, a black lawmaker who does his hair in braids, and Simmons said: “Black youth in schools should not be constrained by outdated and often racist dress codes that only serve to humiliate students of color who want to Their hair is styled in a style that honors their heritage, ancestors and culture.”
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