FERRELL V. DALLAS I.S.D.: Hairstyles in Schools

by Karen L. Trespacz ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1998

While a legally correct discussion of a lawsuit brought by three students in the Dallas Independent School District who were suspended from school in 1966 because of their long hairstyles, this is a misnomer in the Landmark Supreme Court Cases series, because the Supreme Court denied certiorari on October 14, 1968, refusing to hear the case and allowing the lower court's ruling to stand. Trespacz tries to make two points in this somewhat dated argument (despite the punk hairstyle shown on the cover, long hair in 1968 was a Beatle cut, far shorter than the styles worn by many males today): that the American legal system ""is not solely for adults,"" and that ""students have rights when in schools."" What distinguishes this presentation is the precise outline of the facts and legal procedure and strategy used by the boys' and schools' attorneys. Trespacz excerpts questions and answers from the actual transcripts of the trial and sets them forth to illustrate the legal reasoning and tactics employed. The boys lost their case, but their lawsuit was quoted in other Supreme Court decisions and in the Harvard Law Review. For readers interested in the legal issues, this book could be read in conjunction with Leah Farish's Tinker v. Des Moines (1997), the most significant case dealing with the constitutional rights of students in public schools.

Pub Date: July 1, 1998

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Enslow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1998

Categories: CHILDREN'S