In the small town of Leakey, Texas it is apparently
against the rules to be either a hippie, or a Rastafarian for
that matter while you are still in school.
We don't remember all of high school (we were way too
stoned to remember all of it), so we cant say for sure, but
our hair was long, and it didn't seem to have much effect on
our learning what we needed to in high school. If you look
at the picture of Daly, back in the late 70's we would have
called him a short haired dude.
Daly is a Leakey High School senior who is being told by
his school district to cut his hair, but the student is
claiming religious values ban him from cutting it. He was
told on the first day of school that his hair was too long.
He was told to cut it or face discipline.
Daly is fighting the decision, and in the meantime, he is
facing punishment.
Daly said he is being educated and isolated from the rest of
his classmates because of his hair. He said sometimes he
gets lonely, but the school district said he violated their
rules and must be disciplined.
"I get to go outside for 15 minutes just to exercise,"
Daly said.
Leakey school superintendent Fred McNeil said Ben must
follow the dress code like the other students. McNeil
admitted Rastafarianism is a religion but needs the support
of the school board.
"I talked to the superintendent, and that's when he
supposedly got word from his attorney that my religion is
illegitimate," Daly said.
Daly has vowed to keep fighting the decision, In the
meantime, Daly will continue to be taught in isolation and
will not be allowed to participate in school activities.
To be sure, Texas has always thought it was above the US
constitution, now we have proof.
