HARRISBURG, PA — On Wednesday, November 19, the Pennsylvania Senate approved the CROWN Act (HB 439), which protects Pennsylvanians against racial hair discrimination based on hair type, hair texture or protective hairstyles like braids, twists, knots and locs. Public school students are specifically protected by this law.

The Education Law Center-PA applauded the Pennsylvania Senate for passing this legislation that enacts statutory protections from this type of racial discrimination, and brings the Commonwealth into alignment with the growing majority of states (30) to statutorily outlaw this type of discrimination.

“Passing the PA CROWN Act is reform that Black girls in Pennsylvania’s public schools have been demanding,” said ELC-PA Senior Attorney Paige Joki. “This is a critical improvement for equity in our schools. Students’ right to wear protective styles—such as braids, locs and twists—and the right to learn without fear of stigmatization, reprisals, school exclusions, or other disciplinary measures will now be codified by Pennsylvania’s non-discrimination law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA). This important legal shift helps safeguard students’ right to expression and helps ensure that students can learn without fear and that they can come to school as their full authentic selves. No child can learn in an environment that is teaching and enforcing discrimination.”

In the past several years, ELC-PA has had to challenge discriminatory school rules for banning hairstyles that aren’t “neat” or “well-groomed,” hair that is “colored or highlighted in any flamboyant colors” and rules that prohibit the use of combs, headscarves, wave caps or do-rags.

This legislation, an amendment to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, now heads to the Governor’s desk.