FILE – Darryl George, a 17-year-old junior, before walking across the street to go into Barbers Hill High School after serving a 5-day in-school suspension for not cutting his hair, Sept. 18, 2023, in Mont Belvieu, Texas. A trial is set to be held Thursday, Feb. 21, 2024, to determine if George can continue being punished by his district for refusing to change his hairstyle, which he and his family say is protected by a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File)

ANAHUAC, Texas (AP) — A trial is set to be held to determine if a Black high school student in Texas can continue being punished by his district for refusing to change his hairstyle. The student, Darryl George, and his family say his hairstyle is protected by a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination. George’s Houston-area school district says its policy limiting the length of boys’ hair doesn’t violate the new law. George’s attorney says Texas lawmakers had safeguarding hair length in mind when they approved the new law. The bench trial is being held before state District Judge Chap Cain III in Anahuac.