LINCOLN- Under LB630, introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney, the Nebraska Department of Education would be tasked with establishing a model dress code and grooming policy for all Nebraska schools. The bill intends to protect Nebraska students from discrimination for wearing attire or their hair in a way that aligns with their religious or cultural beliefs. The Legislature's Education Committee advanced the bill to general file on a 7-0 vote, pushing it into a first round of debate.

The dress code established by the Department of Education would not be allowed to prohibit any student from wearing attire associated with their race, religion, or national origin, and local school boards would be required to adopt the written dress code by July 1, 2025. During a hearing for the bill, there was no opponent testimony, and several proponents from various cultures and religions, both parents and students, argued that the bill would help them be more comfortable in school.

Two years ago, the ACLU of Nebraska sued a north-central Nebraska school district alleging that an employee cut the hair of a Native American child, a move that parents claimed violated their beliefs. "We believe our hair is our spirit; as it grows, our spirit grows," said one of the parents named in the suit. Under LB630, such violations will not be allowed to take place.

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