In a controversial turn of events, a Louisiana high school principal has applied for leave after revoking an honor student's scholarship endorsement due to a video of her dancing.
Walker High School principal Jason St Pierre faced a whirlwind of backlash after penalizing an honor student over a video that reportedly showed her dancing next to a friend who was "twerking" at a party, the New York Post reports.
Kaylee Timonet - the student in question - faced unexpected reprimands after a video of her dancing at an off-campus homecoming after-party was shared on social media. The video, which was filmed and shared by DJ Savage who worked the event at Livingston Parish Country Club, captured Timonet dancing behind a friend who was reportedly "twerking".
Despite the video being deleted, the impact it has had on Timonet is still being felt.
DJ Savage, defending the students, stated: "How those kids were dancing was not bad. I have seen much worse. It was genuinely kids having fun."
However, the school's perspective was drastically different. Timonet recounted a distressing meeting with Principal St Pierre, during which she says she was accused of not "following God’s ideals". She told Unfiltered with Kiran: "They basically told me I should be ashamed of myself... which made me cry even more. I felt like my life was over."
In a further blow to the young student, St Pierre withdrew her application for a coveted scholarship, which is awarded to only two students each year. "All I was doing was having innocent fun. I was mortified," lamented Timonet.
On top of this, Timonet - who boasts a 4.2 GPA - was also removed as Walker High School student government president.
The student's mother, Rachel Timonet, expressed her dissatisfaction with the school’s handling of the situation. Frustrated that she was not present during the initial meeting with her minor daughter, she told Unfiltered: "They had other people dancing in that video also that are on the dance team that nothing happened to.
"He said she was punished because she is the ‘hood-ornament’ of the school."
The doting mom also took aim at the principal for allegedly questioning her daughter about her religious faith, saying: "It’s a public school, not a private school. He has no right to discuss any sort of religion with my child."
Additionally, speaking to WAFB, the mom says there was nothing wrong with her daughter's dancing, adding: "I was physically there watching her do it, so if I would have thought that it was inappropriate in any way [...] I would have corrected my child."
The Livingston Parish News reported an overwhelming show of support for Timonet, as fellow students rallied around her. Social media became a beacon of solidarity, with slogans like "Let the Girl Dance" and "I stand with Kaylee Timonet" circulating widely. T-shirts bearing the same slogans were even sold in her support.
Following this groundswell, St Pierre, in a Facebook post, announced the reinstatement of Timonet to her student government position and his renewed endorsement for her scholarship. "Our student government members are held to a high standard of student behavior," he acknowledged, adding that the standards should be reflective of a collective opinion.
Following substantial public outcry, he has also now applied for a leave of absence for the remainder of the school year.
"First, let me say that I have apologized to the Timonets and I am hopeful that my scheduled meeting with Kaylee’s mom will rectify this situation and allow Kaylee to enjoy the remainder of her senior year at Walker High School," St Pierre said in his statement.
"I will be reinstating Kaylee’s position on the Student Government Association. The SGA was created to give students a voice in their school and their community, to promote leadership qualities, and to represent their school with pride, enthusiasm, and respect.
"Our student government members are held to a high standard of student behavior. While I stand by that premise, I do believe that standard deserves the input of not just myself and top administrators, but also those student leaders. I hope to create a path moving forward where we can work together to create clear expectations for all.
"I will be reinstating my scholarship endorsement for Kaylee. At Walker High, we strive to place our students first in every decision so they may be prepared for whatever career path they may aspire to take, and I believe my action will assist in doing that."
However, despite the principal's apology and corrective measures, Rachel Timonet remained skeptical of its sincerity given the time it took, emphasizing that the scholarship's deadline passed on October 3.
"It’s too little, too late... the damage that he’s done to her is done," the mom told WAFB.
Amidst this storm, Kaylee has found solace in the overwhelming support, adding: "The video was not inappropriate whatsoever... seeing that my accomplishments were still noticed means the world."
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