A former Texas homecoming queen, Kayleigh Craddock, won’t be permitted to crown her successor at Brazosport High School due to her graduation ceremony attire, which included a stole representing her Mexican heritage.
Despite being the reigning queen, the school district has denied her the opportunity to continue an age-old tradition of crowning the next Homecoming Queen at her former high school in Freeport, Texas.
Cynthia Vasquez, mother of Kayleigh Craddock, said the initial excitement that filled her daughter about returning to Brazosport High School to crown the next Homecoming Queen turned to disappointment when they received a call from the school principal.
She added that the family was informed that Craddock would not be allowed to attend homecoming because she had worn a stole symbolizing her Mexican heritage during her graduation ceremony in May.
A statement issued by the Brazosport Independent School District on the incident indicated that students were made aware of the dress code guidelines before the graduation ceremony took place.
“The student was asked to comply with the dress guidelines and refused,” the statement said. “The graduate was homecoming queen last school year, however, because of the insubordination at the graduation ceremony last May, the graduate was not invited back to participate in the crowning of this year’s Homecoming Queen,” the school copied CNN.
But Vasquez dismissed the school’s assertion that her daughter was instructed to remove the stole. According to her, Craddock, who was the last in line during the graduation ceremony, was approached by a teacher who suggested that she tuck the stole into her gown rather than remove it.
Craddock, who is currently a freshman at Sam Houston State University, said she takes a lot of pride in representing her Mexican heritage. She however indicated that in as much as she loves her Mexican identity, she would have complied with the school’s instruction if she had been informed that wearing the stole was not allowed.
Craddock explained that she wouldn’t have brought the stole if it had violated the dress code. Her mother however believes that Craddock is being unfairly singled out and penalized for her choice, citing having seen students during the graduation wearing a stole.
