A Vicksburg High School student who has complained that he was banned from escorting a homecoming maid during Friday night festivities is not the first to be told the same thing, school officials said.

“It appears this has been done for years, and no one has complained about it,” Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Duran Swinford said this morning. “At this time, we’re going to look at this practice and further talk to officials and (parent teacher organizations) in a small forum, because it’s never been the intent of this school district to violate the rights of anyone.”

Patrick Richardson, 16, a junior, has said he was told by school officials that dreadlocks would look unprofessional at the formal event and, therefore, he could not participate.

Patrick reportedly has said he feels he is being discriminated against, and his parents have complained to school officials.

Principal Derrick Reed declined to comment and referred questions to the superintendent.

Swinford said she’s hoping to sit down with school officials over the matter today or Friday — if it’s still necessary.

“I have heard that the young lady (Richardson) was supposed to escort has said she wants another young man to escort her, so if that’s the case this could be a moot point,” Swinford said. “If she still wants (Richardson) to escort her, then obviously we need to do this immediately.”

There is no districtwide policy that addresses dreadlocks or any other hairstyles, Swinford said. The policy merely states student dress must not be a distraction to a productive school environment. However, each principal can write an appearance policy for the school handbook.

In Vicksburg High’s handbook, nothing is written about dreadlocks and formal functions. Dreadlocks is a Rastafarian style in which hair is braided in tight rows along the scalp and allowed to hang around the head.

“There is no rule in writing in the handbook. It’s just a practice that has been in place for a series of years, and it basically says students must present themselves in a professional manner” at the coronation, Swinford said, noting Richardson could attend the homecoming dance with his dreadlocks.

The superintendent said she will support Vicksburg High in whatever policy it wants to implement about hairstyles at formal functions, but said it has to be in writing if it wants to avoid disputes in the future.

“If they want to keep the rule, we’re going to make sure that we define it more clearly, put it in writing and inform everybody up front what the policy allows and what it doesn’t,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to do what’s right.” VHS is to play Grenada at 7:30 Friday night.