In Texas, the mother of sixth grader Kenneth Fails is still at odds over the district’s school board about her son’s in-school suspension. In April, as a fifth grader, Itasca Middle School reprimanded Fails’ for his long hair and he was sentenced to in-school suspension. Normally, a student is reprimanded for a dress code violation, the parent then makes sure the child is compliant and the child returns to class. Not in this case.

Last school year, Fails’ mother refused to make her son cut his hair as required by the dress code at the middle school. A long drawn out battle ensued and many thought it ended with the school year.

After the new school year began, Fails was again found to be in violation of the dress code policy since he did not get a haircut all summer. The school placed him on indefinite suspension until he cuts his hair. The decision, Wisnosky believes is discriminatory, abusive and unfair.

During a five minute speech at the school board meeting, Fails mom said, “he gets to look at a wall all day long. Tell me that’s not mental abuse. You’re mentally abusing him to force him to conform to what you guys think is appropriate,” she also said, “What about pregnant teenagers. How does that look with them walking around in your school and what does that say to every other teenage girl?” Marsha Wisnosky addressed the school board on Monday night in a free Kenny t-shirt.

The school board maintained their decision to uphold the current dress code policy as it is written and refused interviews regarding the matter.

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