After the Jett Hawkins Act became law Jan. 1, children cannot be discriminated against for Black hair cuts or hairstyles in Illinois.
CHICAGO -- Jett Hawkins was just 4-years-old when he was sent home from school for having braids.
"I knew that, that was problematic, to tell me that a 4-year-old's hairstyle was a violation of the code of conduct. And his hair was very well groomed," said Nelson."And so, I did not understand; well, I understood. I felt like they didn't understand the impact of the rule they were trying to enforce."SEE MORE: New laws 2022: Illinois laws that take effect January 1
Nelson informed the school of the CROWN Act, a law which prohibits discrimination based on hair style and hair texture. "So far, the CROWN Coalition, in partnership with Dove, has successfully helped to spearhead legislation ending hair discrimination in 14 states. So, Illinois has not enacted the CROWN Act just yet, but the Jett Hawkins Act is inspired by the CROWN Act, so they do recognize it," she said.The Jett Hawkins Act bans discrimination in Illinois schools for hair styles like braids, locs and twists. The law went into effect Jan. 1, 2022.
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