A US teenager who has been in in-school suspension since August over the length of his locs hairstyle has said he is filled with “anger, sadness, disappointment”.

Ahead of a trial looking into whether the school’s rules broke the law, Darryl George got choked up speaking to reporters about his six-month isolation from his classmates.

His mother filed the complaint in Texas on his behalf. A judge ruled on Thursday that the school decision to suspend him was legal and did not the violate the state’s Crown act, which protects against race-based discrimination over hair.