A Louisiana high school principal who rescinded an honor roll student’s scholarship recommendation and kicked her out of the student government association over a “twerking” video has reversed course and asked for leave following an uproar over discipline.
Walker High Principal Jason St. Pierre applied with the local school district for leave for the remainder of the school year after many fellow students came out in support of senior Kaylee Timonet and called for her resignation, the Livingston Parish News reported.
Last week, St Pierre pulled Timonet into a one-on-one meeting where he accused the public school student of not “following God’s will” after a video of him dancing with a friend at an off-campus event was shared on social media.
The 17-year-old was seen dancing behind her friend who was reportedly “playing around” at a private homecoming after party on September 30 in the footage, which has since been deleted.
Walker High Principal Jason St. Pierre applied with the local school district for a leave of absence for the remainder of the school year. Livingston Parish Public School
The DJ who hosted the event at the Livingston Parish Country Club — and filmed and posted the video — described the teenagers’ dancing as harmless and “really kids having fun.”
The student’s mother had choice words for the principal who she claims unfairly targeted her daughter because she was the high school’s “headpiece.”
Timonet’s classmates quickly rallied behind her — even selling T-shirts with slogans like, “Let the Girl Dance” and “I stand with Kaylee Timonet,” which were also plastered on social media in solidarity.
Kaylee Timonet has been ousted as Walker High School student government president, and her support for scholarships has been pulled. Not filtered with Kiran
Following the outpouring of support, St. Pierre announced that he would reinstate Timonet to his position in the student government association and reinstate his support for the scholarship program in a Facebook post Sunday night.
“Our student government members are held to high standards of student behavior,” he said in the statement. “Although I stand by that premise, I believe that the standards deserve the input of not only me and the top administrators, but also the student leaders.”
The principal said he apologized to the senior and his mother in addition to taking “corrective action.”
Kaylee Timonet, 17, was relieved of her duties as president of the student government association after the video. WAFB
The student’s mother, however, said the reversal and apology took too long. The scholarship is due on Oct. 3.
“It’s too little, too late,” Rachel Timonet told WAFB. “…[St Pierre] called reinstatement of the scholarship, I told him that the deadline for the scholarship was over, and the damage he had done to it was done. I also told him I was giving them a chance when I got in there at 7am the next morning, to try and fix things then. Now, with someone holding his hand forcing him to do something, an apology is enforced too late.”
The high school student said the outpouring of support helped her get through the challenge.
Mother Kaylee Timonet says an apology from Walker High principal Jason St Pierre is taking too long. Not filtered with Kiran
“The video is completely inappropriate. I was so scared that people would hate me afterwards, so to see people support me no matter what and to see that my achievements are still being noticed means the world,” she said.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
