Dallas Hair Braider Who Seeks To Teach Her Craft, Files Suit Against Texas Agency

1. http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20131001-dallas-hair-braider-who-wants-to-teach-her-craft-files-suit-against-texas-agency.ece

2.Category of Problem/Issue: Constitutional Rights/ 14th Amendment

3. Level of Problem: State

4. This Article Concerns: A woman feels that her economic liberties and right to due process outlined in the Constitution's 14th Amendment are being violated.

5. Importance/affect on families/individuals: The 2007 State Law is being questioned for application in an arbitrary or irrational way as it relates to more specifically, teaching hair braiding. This new law has special provisions in it that require: 2250 hrs in barber school, pass four exams, and "Brantley also would have to convert her tiny salon into a fully equipped barber college with 10 student workstations with reclining chairs and at least five sinks, her attorneys said." ---which could be posing a threat to business growth for other individuals who are also hair braiding instructors like Ms. Brantley.  This State Law may need some revisions made to it, as I'm sure it is difficult to predict all the outcomes in the creation of new laws. This law is prohibiting the growth of Ms. Brantley's business over some red-tape, bull crap, flaw in our legislative system.

6. My Input: I feel that this situation is a perfect example/depiction (what have you), of government extended too far into our personal lives, and the repercussions of having a large government. We all know how backwards the state of Texas' government structure is written, and its going to take a lot of effort on the "small persons side" to push through the right-winged, thick headed, douche lords in office right now to make any progress. I honestly feel for Ms. Brantley, she has a long road ahead of her in getting this worked out at the state level. As a child, you never dream that you would become a hair braider and open your own business one day, only to find out that you weren't allowed to teach classes in your own salon because it wasn't a barber school according to state law. It seems like such a simple thing. It is examples like this that make me wish millions/billions of dollars were not wasted each year in seeking a resolution for something that needs to go through a whole new system all together. I think it really comes down to someone talking to someone in charge and being like, "Hey, look, y'all overlooked this one area when you were writing this legislation...its really starting to affect a lot of small barbershop owners and tradespeople in the area, could you please hear us out in a formal setting where we can get this law back on the drawing board for some revisions?" This should not start a traumatic, hate-spitting law suit. This article make me think about the opportunity cost of solving our issues with legislation/representation in the courts the way our current system is rigged. Although it is easy to say something's got to change, I doubt it ever will.