A US judge has denied a request from a black student in Texas who was suspended for his dreadlocks, ruling that the student waited too long to seek a court order.
The student, Darryl George, had been repeatedly punished for refusing to cut his hair, which he and his family consider culturally significant.
Mr. George has filed a federal lawsuit alleging his punishment violates a state law prohibiting discrimination based on hair texture.
The lawsuit will continue, but the judge's decision represents a setback for Mr. George's efforts to return to his original school.
