According to students at an Alabama high school, officials suspended two students following a same-sex prom proposal.
The incident went down during Alexandria High School’s talent show on Tuesday (30 January).
With the help of a friend, Janizia Ross, 17, asked her girlfriend to prom during the show. Her girlfriend was performing in the talent show and Ross asked her after her performance.
‘I was there when it happened,’ said Ashley Fadely, a senior at the school. ‘It was right after her performance. No words were spoken by them. They just got happy, hugged and that was it.’
She also said if it was a heterosexual couple, nothing would have happened.
Officials suspended Ross and her friend who planned the proposal. They did not discipline the girlfriend.
Ross asked her girlfriend via a poster with the word ‘prom’ and a question mark decorated as a rainbow. School officials initially gave her permission to hold the sign, but later withdrew it.
However, her friend, who was serving as master of the ceremonies for the show, didn’t know they revoked the permission. So she invited Ross onstage after to go ahead with the plan.
A ‘misimpression’
On the Calhoun County School District’s website, the Board of Education released a statement about the incident.
They called reports about the suspensions a ‘misimpression’.
‘Students, parents, and the public may be assured that the Calhoun County Board of Education remains firmly committed to guaranteeing its students equal educational opportunities in all phases of school administration, including student discipline,’ the statement reads.
They also said the school strives daily to ‘provide a nurturing, fair, and orderly school environment’.
Ross’ mother told AL.com her daughter was suspended for being perceived as ‘rebellious’.
Alexandria High School Principal Mack Holley confirmed to the Anniston Star it was about rule-breaking.
He also added the school has had same-sex couples at prom before as the school can’t ban them because ‘it’s probably against the law’.
‘Very disappointed in my school’
Students posted their support of the girls on social media. Some expressed their disappointment in the school.
I have recently learned that my high school, Alexandria High School, decided to act out of hatred and intolerance and…
Posted by Nick Wyville on Wednesday, January 31, 2018
a little rant for the day…. Alexandria High School wrote up 2 girls yesterday after the talent show bc one of the…
Posted by Destiny Motes on Wednesday, January 31, 2018
GSN reached out to the school district for any further comment.
H/t: AL.com
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