Officials at Johnson High School in Hall County, Georgia removed a transgender student from the Prom King ballot and told the student he should be running for Prom Queen instead.
Dex Frier, who says he started identifying as male during his sophomore year, told WSB-TV: “They don't have a clear rule that says you have to be biologically male to run for prom king (or that) you have to be biologically female to run for prom queen. There is no rule that states that.”
A petition to put Frier on the Prom King ballot by members of the student body has nearly 15,000 signatures.
Says the petition: “Last week, the Johnson High School administration was informed by the Hall County Schools superintendent, Will Schofield, that Dex Frier, a transgender male, must be removed from the Prom King ballot. The solution, proposed by Mr. Schofield, was to allow Dex a choice between being listed on the Prom Queen ballot or to be removed from both ballots. Prior to Mr. Schofield's interference, we, the Johnson High School student body, elected Dex Frier to represent us as a male member on Prom Court—this was a free-response, purely democratic election system in which Dex was one of six males who received the most votes.”
It continues: “Not only are we confused at this decision, but we are severely disappointed in the Hall County School Board. The two core beliefs of Hall County Schools are outlined on their webpage: ‘The Most Caring Place On Earth” and “Character, Competency, and Rigor…For All.' The decision made by Mr. Schofield fails to reflect either core value of Hall County Schools and is rather an exposition of a transphobic attitude that endangers many more than just Dex.”
An opposing petition has 39 signatures. It says: “If we let this then it will be unfair for the boys to actually be prom king because everyone will be voting for Dex. This is wack bro. We can't let this happen.”
The school's superintendent, Will Schofield, released a statement: “First, this school district has never removed any student from any prom or homecoming court. Furthermore, I will not respond publicly, in any manner, to a situation that has the potential to single out any student in any way. We protect the privacy rights of our student body. On a broader note, I am not interested in being responsible for placing our school district in a the middle of a national social, societal and legal issue which would have the potential to substantially disrupt us from our core mission of providing an education for the boys and girls in our community. Prom should be a time for students to fellowship together and celebrate their local school.”
Watch WSB-TV's report:
