Girl Gets Expelled From School After Posting An Innocent Photo Online
When you think of someone being expelled, you may picture a juvenile delinquent, someone who constantly misbehaves and possibly even causes danger to themselves or their peers. Sometimes, though, the reasons for kicking students out of school are far more obscure and hard to fathom. When one young Kentuckian was expelled from her high school after posting an innocent photo online, it left many people stunned, and her friends and family desperately fighting for answers.
Kayla
Up until recently, Kayla Kenney was your average 15-year-old girl, living in Louisville, Kentucky, and attending Whitefield Academy — a local private high school — with her friends.
Well-rounded Kid
Kayla was happy. She had an active social life, loved spending time with her tight-knit family, and participated in many wholesome activities including her lifelong passion for athletics.
Big Birthday
Kayla had a birthday coming up, one she was very excited to celebrate. However, what was supposed to be a celebratory event filled with food, fun, friends, and family, brought one of the most harrowing experiences of her young life.
Colorful Request
In preparation for her big day, Kayla requested a cake. She asked the bakers to make one that included frosting in "assorted colors," and when she received the festive confection, she was very pleased with the result.
Rainbows R Us
However, after the partying was over, Kayla's mother posted a picture of the smiling teen, wearing a rainbow sweater and posing next to the cake on Facebook. The backlash would be swift and severe.
Bruce Jacobson
Soon after, the family received notice from Dr. Bruce Jacobson, head of Kayla's school, that Kayla was being expelled. They were completely blindsided. Kayla was a generally good student and hardly got into trouble.
Rainbow Affiliation
They quickly realized that the reason Kayla was being made to leave the school that she loved so much was because administrators, including Jacobson, believed the cake was representative of LGBTQ pride.
Denying
Both Kayla and her mother denied this, with mom Kimberly saying, “I just feel like it’s a label [school officials] have put on her. Just because I’m wearing a rainbow doesn’t mean I’m gay."
Uber-Strict
In fact, the code of conduct at Whitefield Academy and the rules contained in it are very strict and controversial in general. Some of them are honestly difficult to fathom.
Expelled For "Home Environment"
Among other things, the school reserves the right to expel students if their “home environment is not in harmony with the school’s doctrinal belief in the centrality of Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture and Biblical lifestyle.”
Violations
While the former could be interpreted in many different ways, the guidelines go on to state specific things they believe to be in violation of this statute. Among these are "homosexual orientation" and "sexual immorality."
Refusing To Budge
For its part, the academy has not relented in defending their decision to kick Kayla out, in part saying that their rules are in line with Kentucky law, and not unlike the guidelines at similar religious institutions...
Claims
The school also claims steadfastly that the picture was not the sole reason for Kayla's abrupt expulsion, calling these reports "inaccurate" and stating that Kayla had a long history of violating their strict rules.
Searching Her Belongings
Among the infractions that Jacobson is referring to include an event that occurred in October, when Juul pods were found in the student's backpack. However Kayla's mother insisted that since then, there have been no incidents of misbehavior.
No Acceptance Here
In any case, the school said the birthday photo in question “demonstrates a posture of morality and cultural acceptance contrary to that of Whitefield Academy’s beliefs,” and went on to state that it constituted “lifestyle violations."
Booted Out
Ultimately, Kayla lost her battle for justice and was forced to leave the school that she had called home for the past two years. However, there was one silver lining...
Small Upside
Rather than being listed as an expulsion, the official account states that Kayla's leaving was a "voluntary departure" — a good thing, because this way it won't go down on her permanent record. However, it also means the school is lying on paper about expelling her.
Finding A New School
As for Kayla's mental state, her mother Kimberly reports that she is adjusting well, as she is a very resilient young woman, but that understandably she also "seems stressed and overwhelmed at times."
Mom Stands Up
Kimberly also had some choice words for Whitefield Academy itself. "Those religious beliefs they are imposing now are very judgmental,” she reflected. “That’s not what I wanted for her." And she wouldn't give up there.
Lawsuit
The Kenneys decided to proceed with a lawsuit against the school for violating its own disciplinary code. Although Whitefield Academy isn't backing down so far, Kayla is not alone in this fight.
Not Always Like This
See, Kayla's story is a frustrating one, but unfortunately some cases have been even more heartbreaking in their magnitude. One teen named Seth Owen has a similar story that took a much more tragic turn.
Seth Owen
Growing up in Florida, Seth seemed like a model son and student. Below the surface, however, his personal life was far from perfect; in fact, it was teetering on the verge of collapse.
Hard Worker
Things were always great in the classroom, however. Ever since he was a little boy, Seth made sure to study hard. He was going to do whatever it took to attend a good college.
Space Dreams
“I was the nerd in fifth grade who walked around recess talking about how I wanted to be an astronaut,” Seth said. “I was always in a textbook, always in the library, always reading something.”
Dad Gets The Phone
But everything changed one evening during high school. While Seth was busy putting the finishing touches on a homework assignment, his dad opened up the teen's phone. He found something shocking on the device.
Springing The Trap
Seth's father found some pictures and had immediate questions. First, he wanted to know how his son, who was a successful student athlete, was doing. Then, he revealed what photo he'd found on his son's phone.
Not How He Wanted To Come Out
“He found a damning photograph of me and another guy," Seth remembered. "Nothing inappropriate, but it clearly indicated that I was gay.” That caused a big problem for his parents.
Immediate Change
Seth's parents were strict Southern Baptists and unwilling to accept his sexuality. Rather than supporting their son, they saw him as a problem; they were going to try to fix it.
Conversion Therapy
They started sending the teenager to a Christian counselor, hoping that would help. "It was definitely awkward conversion therapy where they tried encouraging stereotypical masculine tasks and things like that,” Seth remembered.
It Didn't Work
After a few months, Seth stopped visiting the counselor. His parents were unwilling to relent on one other decision, however. Their son still needed to attend church, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Anti-LGBTQ Church
Given the congregation's views about sexuality, Seth didn't feel comfortable attending services. He asked to pray at another church, but his parents refused. If he didn't want to worship with them, he would have to move out.
No Choice
Seth didn't want to leave, but he couldn't deny who he truly was. With a heavy heart, the teenager packed his bags and headed for the door; from that day forward, he would fend for himself.
Still A Great Student
The upheaval didn't change his academic performance, however. Despite spending nights on his friends' couches, the teen was still accepted into Georgetown University. His college dream was finally coming true.
Terrible News
A few weeks after leaving home, Seth received his admissions packet from the school. When he opened it and poured over the paperwork, though, his heart dropped. There must have been a mistake.
Calculating Error
When Georgetown calculated Seth's financial aid package, they had factored in his parents' income. Since he was now on his own, however, there was no way the teen could afford his tuition payments.
So Close...
Understandably, Seth was crushed. He had spent his entire life working towards a college acceptance — and thought he had received it — only to lose his grip on the opportunity at the last second, due to having no money.
Teacher Knows Best
One of his teachers, Jane Martin, realized that Seth was struggling, even if he didn't want to admit it. She pulled a few of her colleagues together, and they tried to set things right.
Humble Request
Martin set up a GoFundMe page hoping to pay her student's tuition. "I know the goal seems unrealistic and the circumstances aren’t ideal, but I also know communities can make the impossible possible,” she wrote.
Outpouring Of Support
Before anyone realized what was happening, the page had raised over $100,000 — five times the original goal! Not only could Seth attend Georgetown, but he came to understand something even more important: people cared about him.
It Takes A Village
"He has had so much support,” Martin said. “I'm just excited for him to have this community literally come around and put all of our arms together and bring him up and raise him up.”
Helping Others
By sharing his story, Seth hoped to inspire other teens to love themselves, no matter what. "I would tell that sophomore kid to hold their head high, roll their shoulders back and be exactly who they are,” he said.
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