Connections: Why a court ruled that firing an employee for wearing dreadlocks is not discrimination

A federal court has ruled that if an employer fires a worker for wearing his or her hair in dreadlocks, it's not racial discrimination. Did the court get it right? The case centered on Chastity Jones, a woman who was offered a job with an insurance claims processing company, but had the offer rescinded because she wore dreadlocks. Jones said it was a form of discrimination. A judge decided that while firing based on skin color is not protected, firing based on hairstyle is protected; the judge said that race can not be changed, but hairstyle can be changed. We discuss the case with our guests: Stephen Jones , partner at Nixon Peabody Reenah Golden-Collier , co-creator of Kuumba Consultants