Headline is linked. Story originally found at DrudgeReport.com, from local6.com web site.
School Board Bans Photo Of Girl Wearing Tux
POSTED: 10:29 pm EST February 24, 2005
GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- After a spirited discussion over a photo of a girl wearing a tuxedo at Thursday's Clay County School Board meeting, the principal's decision to ban the picture from the Fleming Island High School yearbook stands.
Kelli Davis, 18, had her senior class photo taken in a tuxedo top and bow-tie outfit provided for boys rather than the gown-like drape and pearls provided for girls. The school's principal decided it could not appear in the yearbook because she didn't follow the dress code.
Kelli, a straight-A student with no discipline problems, is a self-proclaimed lesbian. She said she was uncomfortable to have her chest exposed in the photo.
"Because that's me, you know. That represents me. The drape does not," Davis said. "They're not accepting me, that's the whole reason we're here."
Davis denies it's about her sexual orientation, just about a student not following the rules.
"There's a dress code to follow -- a dress code expected for senior pictures in the yearbook, and she chose not to follow them. It's just that simple," Clay School Superintendent David Owens said.
More than half of the 24 people who addressed the controversy supported using Davis' picture in the yearbook, some applauding after Cindi Davis, the teen's mother, asked the board "What is so offensive about this tiny picture?"
Cindi Davis asked the school board not only to reverse the principal's decision on the photo, but to apologize for firing the yearbook editor, who voiced her support of publishing the photo.
While the board's ruling will keep the photo from appearing with other senior pictures, it will appear in the yearbook. Kelli's parents bought a two-page ad in the back of the book for $700, which will feature the picture.
Alternative link for same story:
School Board Puts End To Yearbook Controversy
By Jennifer Brice
First Coast News
CLAY COUNTY, FL -- A high school senior has grabbed the attention of the First Coast. It was standing room only as the community confronted the Clay County School Board.
It was all for Fleming High School senior Kelli Davis. The school says it will not publish her senior picture because she wore a tuxedo instead of the traditional drape.
Hundreds of people went to the school board meeting to hear her mother, Cindy Davis speak.
"What is so offensive about this picture?" she asked holding her tuxedo clad daughter's photo in her hand. "Who would have ever noticed her attire?"
The school board says the clothing breaks school tradition.
More than 25 people also approached the podium to speak out, like Clay County resident James Stewart.
"Young ladies wear one thing and young men wear something else. If you choose not to do that, you're out of line," Stewart said.
Amanda Johnson drove from Tallahassee for the meeting. She brought her senior yearbook from 1999.
"This is my yearbook from Broward County. I too appeared in a tux," she said.
Some students even showed up in tuxedos as a sign of support. But it was Superintendent David Owens who had the final word.
"My decision is that I stand by the Principal's decision. Her picture will not be in the senior yearbook," he said.
Kelli Davis says she expected the outcome.
... more at either link
Extra credit to the parents for using the paid space to make sure their daughters preferred picture is included in the Yearbook. I would hope that they used the space for more than one picture though - the one with the young lady in the tux, and another with her providing a single finger salute to the idiots that made the decision to dis-allow the picture.
Lifestyle issues such as this are not necessarily choices that I would make, but given a choice of two uniforms, the young lady choose one that some would say is more appropriate for males than females. That was her choice, and the school shouldn't be involving itself in telling her that she can't.
I know, it opens up a can of worms for a cross-dressing male student in the future. If such a student wants to wear the more female appropriate uniform for the picture, then so be it.
Worrying over stupid issues such as this, rather than worrying about keeping classrooms safe, keeping teachers teaching, and keeping students learning seems an unacceptable waste of a school principals time, as well as the school boards.
Some people obviously have sticks inserted you-know-where, and need to have them removed. This seems to be a prime example of just that.
