Claudetteia Love is an academic start at Carroll High School in Louisiana. She's wrapping up her high school career before heading to Jackson State University on a full academic scholarship. Unfortunately, her high school days are ending on a sour note–she's openly gay and school officials are barring her from attending prom
if she doesn't wear a dress:
Friday, she sat quietly crying in her living room as she talked about missing one of the signature events of her senior year. The prom is April 24.
"I told my mom, 'They're using me. They put me in all these honors and advanced placement classes so I can take all of these tests and get good grades and better the school, but when it's time for me to celebrate the fact that I've accomplished what I need to accomplish and I'm about to graduate, they don't want to let me do it, the way I want to,' " she said.
Claudettia's mother is livid:
Geraldine Jackson, Love's mom, said she talked to Principal Patrick Taylor about the school's rule of no tuxes for girls.
"He said that the faculty that is working the prom told him they weren't going to work the prom if (girls) were going to wear tuxes," she said. "That's his exact words. 'Girls wear dresses and boys wear tuxes, and that's the way it is."
Even though school administrators ignored a petition generated by the students, the story started gaining media attention. The good news for Claudettia is that Monroe City School Board President Rodney McFarland has come down firmly
on her side:
McFarland says this is clearly discrimination against love for her sexual preference. He says its unacceptable.
"Discrimination is discrimination. It doesn't matter if it is discrimination against someone because they are openly gay or discriminating against someone for their race. It is not right. I know it is wrong for them to ban her from the prom because she wants to wear a tuxedo," says McFarland.
McFarland believes the school should be less focused on a dress code for prom and more focused on educating their students.
WHAMMO! That is quite a statement from the school board president. He's meeting with school officials and hoping they'll change the rule in time for superstar pupil Claudettia Love to join the end-of-year celebration.