Black students complain of Ga. school dress code - Thomasville, Georgia, school dress code prohibits Malcolm X symbols - Brief Article

Jet, Oct 18, 1993

A high school dress code that bans Malcolm X symbols and words shaved into scalps is unfairly aimed at Black students, says the president of the Thomasville, Ga., NAACP chapter.

"Rather than helping to bring about a mutual understanding and respect between two races, it appears the system is trying to sweep racial differences under the rig," said Patroski Lawson of the Thomas County NAACP chapter in Thomasville.

The code prohibitss plain white T-shirts to clothing with racial slurs or slogans. And students may not show up with designs, numbers or names shaved onto their scalps.

Students who violate the code receive warnings and multiple offenders of the new dress code are sent home.

The code bans clothing that has a racial message. That includes T shirts with Malcolm X symbols or those with such messages as the Blacker the college, the sweeter the knowledge.'

Said Lawson, "Many students don't know very much about Malcolm X. Perhaps, if the schools taught more about Black leaders and history, they wouldn't feel a need to make statements by wearing these types of shirts and other paraphernalia."