AP: Texas

09/02/2005

Associated Press

Two boys who were placed on in-campus suspension for their long hair styles have been pulled out of school by their mother, who says their hair keeps with the family's culture.

Rodney, 14, and Skyler Burns, 12, who have American Indian ancestry, spent more than a week on suspension at Resaca Middle School because their hair length violated the school's dress code.

Their grandfather was a member of the Chickasaw tribe and their hairstyle represents the family's culture, said their mother, Deborah Burns.

The issue was pending before Principal Stephen Rosales, who said he would respond before Sept. 12 to Deborah Burns' offer to style the boy's hair short.

But on Thursday Deborah Burns decided to home school the boys, who had transferred to the Los Fresnos school from Oklahoma on Aug. 22.

Skyler Burns is autistic and suffers from Asperger's Disorder, a type of pervasive developmental disorder, she said. The in-school suspension was difficult for the boys but especially for Skyler.

"He has very serious medical problems and I don't want to lose my baby," Deborah Burns said.

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Information from: The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com