Grand Prairie ISD
INCIDENT:
We moved from Arizona to Texas in February of 2006. I enrolled my daughter in South Grand Prairie High School, where she met with the counselor several times for a total of 1 - 2 hours in order to get her new school schedule worked out, as the curriculum in Texas is much different than the curriculum in Arizona. My daughter had a tiny crystal stud in her nose from a recent nose piercing, which her school in Arizona had no problem with. Nothing was said to me by the counselor during those meetings to let me know that this was considered inappropriate school attire. On her first day of school, first period, my daughter was pulled from class for her nose stud, formally written up, and sent to the bathroom to try and remove it. Since it was a fairly new piercing, and she'd never experienced trying to take it out before, her nose started to bleed. She was then given a Band-Aid to put on, and was stopped in the hallway and told she couldn't wear a Band-Aid on her nose. She was put in 'in school suspension'. I was in the hospital at the time, so we were given leeway of a week to have the problem resolved. Meanwhile, my daughter was to stay in suspension. We had the nose stud replaced with a flesh colored one so her nose could heal from the damage. It was unacceptable to them, and my daughter remained in suspension. Other students had nose rings, belly button rings, huge earrings, and were dressed inappropriately for school. When we inquired about that, we were told, 'We're not talking about them, we're talking about your daughter.'
My daughter was treated so badly, we had to withdraw her from South Grand Prairie High. We went to the assistant superintendent, and he blocked our daughter from being able to transfer to any other school in the district. I even tried to enroll her in one, and was told that they wouldn't take on the problem. On the way into that school, I passed a girl with a nose stud, and was told, 'Well, it's been a bad day.'
Once my daughter was barred from going to any school in the district, the truancy officer was contacted and sent to investigate. I was told I could return my daughter to school, but she would remain in 'in school suspension.'
We tried to home school, but it didn't work for my daughter. I found a Charter school that took her, but it's a 4 hour a day, work at your own pace school for drop-outs, single moms, drug addicts, and other types of criminals. My daughter is an honors student. After over a year, this wasn't working out for her either, so I removed her from that also.
My daughter is now a dropout, forced so by the Grand Prairie ISD. She wanted to go to a University and become a veterinarian, and now she's forced to get a GED instead of a High School diploma, which will probably force her to attend a community college until she can be cleared for a University. She will be 17 in June, and due to the loss of her schooling, as been classified as a freshman, when she should be going into her senior year. She has fallen into a deep depression over this matter. It has affected her entire life. She will never be back in marching band (through which she was supposed to earn a scholarship), she will never go to her prom, and she will never experience the elation of attending her High School graduation.
GPISD RESPONSE:
They didn't care that other students were dressed inappropriately or also had nose piercings, belly button piercings, and huge earrings. I was told, 'We're not talking about them, and we’re talking about your daughter.' I was then asked if I wanted to help monitor the dress code. When I agreed to, I was turned down.
She was barred from entering any other schools, both within the district and without. I was told she would have to be cleared through the Assistant Superintendent who told me that he didn't feel that my daughter's life was in any danger, and saw no need to authorize any type of transfer. Then they sent the truancy officer after us.
OTHER:
I think my first statement says quite a bit. She is forced to get a GED, which will make it harder for her to go into a University. She will never attend her prom, or experience High School graduation. She lost her status in the school marching band, and her chance for a scholarship through them. She is now very depressed, and won't go out to socialize and try to make friends.
