A Louisiana high school student was penalized for dancing at a party off-campus grounds. Following backlash, the principal apologized for his reaction.
Kaylee Timonet, a 17-year-old senior at Walker High School in the southeast Louisiana city of Walker, faced disciplinary action after a video posted by a DJ on social media showed her dancing at a homecoming after-party behind someone who was twerking, The Advocate reported.
According to the report, Principal Jason St. Pierre slammed the video, removed Timonet from her student government president position, said she wouldn’t be considered for Student of the Year, and rescinded his help recommending her for college scholarships.
“They said they didn’t want her representing Walker High School. She was totally shocked,” the student’s mother, Rachel Timonet, told the Advocate. “He told her she wasn’t living in the Lord’s way and questioned who her friends were and if they followed the Lord. She said she didn’t know how to answer that, and they said it was a yes-or-no question. Meanwhile, she’s sobbing.”
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Rachel said her daughter, who has been dancing since she was 2 years old, is trained in hip-hop, has been hired to dance for Disney, and has even danced in that style during school performances.
Pierre’s decision left Rachel outraged, and the community likened the situation to the 1984 movie “Footloose.” During their meeting, Rachel said Pierre printed out Bible verses for her daughter, the Advocate reported, and on social media, people pointed out that Walker High School is a public institution.
“I am a Christian, “one user wrote in a local Facebook group, per the outlet. “I love that most teachers use our beliefs as a reference for the kids to go through life. But when you use it to bully and dictate children, it’s wrong.”
In a statement to the community posted on the high school’s official website earlier this…
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