A high school freshman at a private Christian school in Kentucky has been banned for "lifestyle violations" that include posing alongside a colorful birthday cake and wearing a rainbow shirt, according to the teen's mother.
15-year-old Kayla Kenney was a student at Whitefield Academy in Louisville until a picture showing her birthday celebration was snapped and posted onto social media, according to Kayla's mother Kimberly Alford.
Alford told local station WAVE 3 that she suspects the post showing the celebration was shared with school officials, who then sent her an email saying that the photo was the latest "lifestyle violation" committed by Kayla over the past two years.
“It was an email expelling Kayla from Whitefield immediately due to a post on social media,” said Alford. “I feel judged, she feels judged, just very devastating for us.”
Alford further states that the email said the photo "demonstrates a posture of morality and cultural acceptance contrary to that of Whitefield Academy’s beliefs."
Alford says that she appealed the expulsion, as is allowable within three days of it occuring, but she told The Louisville Courier-Journalthat her appeal was denied.
She also told the Courier-Journal that the academy's head of school, Bruce Jacobson, said to her that the cake and sweater "just kind of represents gay pride" and that it should've been refused.
As for Jacobson's side of things, he says that Kenney's expulsion came about due to “two years of continuous violations of our student code of conduct.”
“Inaccurate media reports are circling stating that the student in question was expelled from our school solely for a social media post,” he said in a statement. “In fact, she has unfortunately violated our student code of conduct numerous times over the past two years.”
“Our code of conduct is on [par] with other private Christian schools in our area,” he continued. “It is unfortunate that one of the student’s parents chose to post internal family matters on social media, and we hope our former student is not adversely affected by what her parents chose to make public about her situation.”
Alford told the Courier-Journal that her daughter had been "on probation" with the school after she was found with Juul pods in her backpack this past October, but she said no other issues had arisen.
ABC News says Alford has had trouble following the school's strict guidelines, previously getting in trouble for shaving the sides of her head. They also reported about the e-cig (Page 1 stuff).
Alford went on to say her daughter isn't gay, and that the receipt for the cake described the design as "assorted colors."
Kenney now goes to a public school.
