Andrew Jones showed up to his graduation from Amite High School ready to experience his hard work paying off.
He didn’t get the chance because of what he was wearing on his face.
“Eventually they took my gown,” he recalled, “They told me they had to take my gown from me.”
The school district has a policy of no facial hair on male students. The superintendent reminded Jones of the rule three times, including graduation night along with 13 other graduates. The students were told if they didn’t go in the bathroom to shave, they couldn’t participate with the class. Jones was the only one who refused, because he said that rule was never enforced before.
“It don’t make sense, every day of school I went with it, even more, I did shave,” said Jones, “I had like sides and everything, but I shaved that for graduation.”
“What was the real issue that he couldn’t walk with his class?” asked Sabrina Davis, Jones’ aunt. “He was top of his class, you know, that moment was the most important moment of his life.”
The principal at Amite High is yet to answer why the student was allowed to have a beard throughout the school year, but not on graduation. The situation has led the superintendent to reinforce with all high school administrators the requirement of the district’s policies being enforced every day, starting on day one of every school year.
Jones has shared his story and is now moving on.
“For a young man that talented, and very academic, to hold a 4.0 and still manage to be a father to his child, the sky’s the limit to me,” said Davis.
Jones is headed to Southeastern Louisiana University with an academic scholarship, an athletic scholarship, and a spot on the football team. He’s hoping to either play professional sports or become an athletic trainer.
