High school scholar and athlete Andrew Jones graduated as the valedictorian of his class, but officials at the Amite High School in Louisiana barred the straight-A student from marching during the ceremony held May 18. Their reason? The student refused to shave his facial hair and the controversy has sparked a protest against the school.
School superintendent Mark Kolwe has released an official statement following the incident involving Andrew Jones. He cited the Tangipahoa School Board Student Dress Code Policy, which disallowed beards among its students. He also cited that Andrew Jones was reminded about shaving his beard more than once. He knew that if he came to the graduation ceremony without a clean-shaven face, he will not be allowed to participate, per WBRZ.
Teachers apparently spoke with Andrew Jones before the ceremony and the principal also talked to his parents. However, the boy insisted to keeping his facial hair and he chose to sit at the back to watch his fellow graduates. He wasn't able to make his valedictory speech as well.
Wow. Andrew Jones was at the top of his class, but officials denied him his shining moment...because of this: https://t.co/NrRoxJ2qNU
— JET magazine (@GetJETmag) May 21, 2016
"Andrew made that decision for himself by failing to comply with the reasonable requests made by his parents and school officials that he comply with the rules applicable to all other students," the letter stated. But BET reports that Andrew Jones refused to comply because the rule was never imposed in school except for this one time.
Meanwhile, The Advocate reports that the NAACP, which spearheaded a protest on the controversy, is imploring the school superintendent and three of its board members to resign. NAACP chapter president Patricia Morris reasoned that other schools in the district actually allowed students with facial hair to march in the graduation ceremony.
Morris cited that the school officials violated Andrew Jones' First Amendment rights and the stance against the student was discriminatory. The boy's aunt also defended him. "He is not a spoiled child," said Sabrina Davis. "He chose to work hard to have a 4.0 and it paid off, so why take that away from him like that?"
