A mother and daughter. (Getty Images.)
Ohio lawmakers once again introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against natural hair in public K-12 schools.
Ohio state Reps. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, and Jamie Callender, R-Concord, recently introduced House Bill 415, also known as the CROWN Act. The CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
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“No student should be punished or excluded from learning because of the way their hair naturally grows or how they choose to wear it to embrace their culture,” Brent said in a news release. “The C.R.O.W.N. Act affirms that every child in Ohio deserves to show up as their full self, without facing bias or discipline because of their appearance.”
This is the fourth legislative session in a row Brent has introduced the CROWN Act. The bill passed the Ohio House in the last General Assembly, but only had sponsor testimony in the Ohio Senate.
The bipartisan bill prohibits discrimination against someone’s hair texture and protective hair styles such as braids, locs, twists and afros under Ohio’s Civil Rights Laws.
“This is not just a cultural issue — it’s an educational equity issue,” Brent said in a news release. “Bipartisan support for this bill shows that Ohio is ready to take real steps to create safe, inclusive learning environments for all our students.”
If the bill were to become law, a student would be able to bring a civil action lawsuit to court if their school violates HB 415.
Twenty-seven states and Washington D.C., have already enacted the CROWN Act. A handful of Ohio cities — including Columbus, Akron, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Cincinnati — have already enacted the CROWN Act at the local level.
Two-thirds of Black children in majority-white schools have faced race-based hair discrimination, according to a 2021 CROWN Act study. Of those children, 86% reported experiencing hair discrimination by age 12.
Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.
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