A Chicago mom took action to end hair discrimination after her 4-year-old son was sent home from school for having braids.
CHICAGO -- Jett Hawkins was just 4 years old when he was sent home from school for having braids. Jett's mom, Ida Nelson, opens up about her fight to end hair discrimination in Illinois and across the country.
Nelson informed the school of the CROWN Act, a law which prohibits discrimination based on hair style and hair texture. CROWN originally stood for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair. The acronym has been updated to stand for Creating a Respectful and Open World with No racism. The Jett Hawkins Act bans discrimination in Illinois schools for hair styles like braids, locs and twists. The law went into effect January 1, 2022.