Carroll High School senior Claudetteia Love, an openly gay student and top academic scholar, won't attend the school's prom this year because the school won't allow her to wear a tuxedo.
The school says it's simply a dress code, but Love said the school's prohibition is more about her sexual orientation than her fashion choices.
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.
Last year, Love was one of a group of students presented in a Monroe City School Board meeting as part of the school's high achieving medical magnet program. In a school that has a failing school performance score, Love is one of the academic superstars. She will represent the school at the annual Scholars' Banquet, an event for the top students in Ouachita Parish.
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."
On Friday, Taylor said the decision was simply a dress code and not anything personal against any student.
"I feel like he's taking his values and throwing them on my daughter because of what her preference is and what she represents," Jackson said.
Love's sister, Mignon, said she's overheard faculty talking about the prom rule.
"It's not about how they dress," she said. "They're judging them. They are at school talking about being gay is a sin. Everybody sins. The only person who can judge is God; you can't judge them."
Love hadn't intended to take a date to the prom but wanted to attend with a group of friends who have also now chosen not to attend because of the no-tux rule. She says a petition by members of the senior class to change the rule wasn't acted on by faculty.
According to Jackson, her daughter's overall mood has changed since she found out she wouldn't be allowed to attend the prom dressed as she chose, but Love has resolved to use her experience to make a difference for others.
"There are other girls in lower grades than me, and I want for them when they come up to not to have to feel like they aren't accepted," Love said. "I don't want them to feel like they are less of a person because people don't accept them. There are people in the world that won't accept you but they don't have to be so judgmental and make you feel like you're less of a person and that you shouldn't express yourself."
Following graduation, Love will attend Jackson State University on a full academic scholarship.
Update: After hearing of Love's plight from members of the community who saw The News-Star's article, Monroe City School Board President Rodney McFarland contacted The News-Star to say that he will take action on Love's behalf.
McFarland said he will contact Superintendent Brent Vidrine and request that he discuss the rule with the school's principal.
"As school board president, I don't agree with Carroll banning her from her prom just because of what she wants to wear -- that's discrimination," he said. "As far as I know there is no Monroe City School Board policy saying what someone has to wear to attend the prom. You can't just go making up policies."
