Popular haircut 'The Edgar,' sparks debate in Texas, restaurant threatens to ban customers

A popular haircut among Mexican-American men in Texas is being debated after some businesses announced plans to ban them.

The haircut—known as “The Edgar,” has some associating the bowl cut with criminal activity.

The growing distrust for the hairstyle stems from an April shooting at a San Antonio festival. The shooting happened around midnight near a stage in the 100 block of Concho Alley. According to KSAT, the San Antonio police department said officers near the stage heard a gunshot and saw 18-year-old Mikey Valdez running away.

The officers shot multiple rounds, killing Valdez at the scene.

Valdez wore the “Edgar” style haircut, as seen in his previous mugshots.

What are locals saying about “The Edgar?”

Ricky Ortiz—who owns El Camino, a food truck in San Antonio—made a post on his Instagram with an image of a young Hispanic man wearing the “Edgar” haircut with a red line drawn across his face. "No Edgars," the image declared.

Ortiz faced some criticism for his post. According to the San Antonio Current, some accused Ortiz of being a racist.

Instagram user @allsold0ut commented, "Imagine discriminating [against] your customers. Lol, you live in 'Edgar' city. This is a new form of racism."

Ortiz said his post was a joke but that young, Hispanic males with this haircut need to behave better.

"People accusing me of racism are speaking from a place of ignorance," Ortiz told the San Antonio Current. "They don't want to acknowledge or admit that the majority of the kids that are getting these haircuts want to be in a culture influenced by gang affiliation and things like that."

Can Texas businesses ban a haircut?

Under the CROWN Act, the statute prohibits discrimination in schools, workplaces and housing based on certain hair textures or protective hairstyles historically and culturally associated with race.

However, the law doesn’t express that the CROWN Act is violated when a business denies a customer because of their hairstyle.

What is the CROWN Act?

The CROWN Act, or House Bill 567, stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." It was passed on a bipartisan vote in the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott last May. It made Texas the 21st state to ban race-based hair discrimination.

The law prohibits discrimination in schools, workplaces and housing based on certain hair textures or protective hairstyles historically and culturally associated with race.

Hairstyles worn by black women and men are protected under Texas labor code against racial discrimination based on hair texture or protective hairstyle.

“An employer, labor union, or employment agency commits an unlawful employment practice if the employer, labor union, or employment agency adopts or enforces a dress or grooming policy that discriminates against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race,” the statute says.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas debate sparks over popular haircut, businesses to ban 'Edgar' cut