Rhode Island § 16-38-1 § 16-38-1. Discrimination because of race or age.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 16-38-1 — § 16-38-1. Discrimination because of race or age.

Rhode Island § 16-38-1

Title 16Education

Ch. 16-38Offenses Pertaining to Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 â€” The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]

This text of Rhode Island § 16-38-1 (§ 16-38-1. Discrimination because of race or age.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-38-1 (2026).

Text

§ 16-38-1. Discrimination because of race or age.
(a) No person shall be excluded from any public school on account of race or color, or
            for being over fifteen (15) years of age, nor except by force of some general regulation
            applicable to all persons under the same circumstances.
         
(b) Discrimination on the basis of race is prohibited in all public elementary and secondary
            schools in the state and in all schools operated by the council on elementary and
            secondary education. This prohibition shall apply to employment practices, admissions,
            curricular programs, extracurricular activities including athletics, c

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

§ 16-38-1. Discrimination because of race or age.

(a) No person shall be excluded from any public school on account of race or color, or for being over fifteen (15) years of age, nor except by force of some general regulation applicable to all persons under the same circumstances.

(b) Discrimination on the basis of race is prohibited in all public elementary and secondary schools in the state and in all schools operated by the council on elementary and secondary education. This prohibition shall apply to employment practices, admissions, curricular programs, extracurricular activities including athletics, counseling, and any and all other school functions and activities.

(c) For purposes of this section, the term:

(1) "Protective hairstylesâ€� means and includes, but is not limited to, hair texture or hairstyles, if that hair texture or that hairstyle is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin (including a hairstyle in which hair is tightly coiled or tightly curled, locks, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros).

(2) "Raceâ€� means and includes traits historically associated with the race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.

Legislative History

G.L. 1896, ch. 65, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 73, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 77, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 198, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 16-38-1; P.L. 2025, ch. 381, § 1, effective July 1, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 382, § 1, effective July 1, 2025.