FREEPORT, Texas — The reigning homecoming queen at Brazosport High School isn't invited to crown the next queen on Friday.
The school district said it's because Kayleigh Craddock didn't comply with the graduation dress code earlier this year, but Kayleigh said she didn't do anything wrong when she donned a Mexican cultural sash during the ceremony in May.
She actually said she was told it was OK.
Kayleigh is hoping that the district will change its mind.
"It’s a tradition, you know? Why stop it now? That’s what is bothering me. I feel like I should still be able to give the girl the next crown," Kayleigh said.
Brazosport High School homecoming is Friday, leaving the district with only a few days to have a change of heart.
The district said Kayleigh wasn't invited to the crowning ceremony because of the Mexican heritage stole she wore during graduation. They even said they asked her to take it off and she refused. That's a point that Kayleigh refutes.
"I was never told to take it off. It’s on video. They have video. The whole thing is recorded. There’s pictures, everything," Kayleigh said. "There’s a teacher at each row, he never told me anything."
The district said the unapproved sash wasn't within the guidelines for the graduation dress code. They said that due to the "insubordination," she wasn't invited back to participate in the crowning of this year's homecoming queen.
Besides denying that she was told to take off the stole, Kayleigh also said she doesn't understand why the district is punishing her now for something that happened months ago.
"I wasn’t out of dress code. We could have them (the stoles). We could literally have them. And there were other people out of dress code and they weren’t told anything," Kayleigh said.
The recent graduate said she has received an outpouring of support from friends who also believe the punishment is unfair.
"They think I should give the girl the next crown because they don’t think graduation has anything to do with homecoming and the tradition," Kayleigh said.
She's holding out hope that the district will change its mind.
"I do want to go and I want to be able to see everybody, see my friends, see my family, see my old friends from school, my old teachers," Kayleigh said.
KHOU 11 News asked the district why they waited until one week before homecoming to let Kayleigh know she wasn't invited and if any other students were punished for disobeying the dress code. We're waiting to see if those questions are answered.
The district previously provided this statement about the issue:
"Graduation dress guidelines are communicated to all graduates. The school policy addresses the wearing of unauthorized sashes or accessories. Unfortunately, a student wore an unapproved sash that was not in the guidelines for graduation dress. The student was asked to comply with the dress guidelines and refused.