Vermilion Parish school district allows female students to wear tuxes for prom

Renting a tuxedo for high school prom is the norm.  It’s nothing special when a young man rents a tux. What about a girl?

In north Louisiana at Carroll High School in Monroe, a female student is being told by her principal that she is not allowed to wear a tuxedo  for her prom.

Carroll High Principal Patrick Taylor told The News-Star newspaper that his decision isn’t personal and that the dress code applies to everyone.

However, Monroe City School Board President Rodney McFarland called it “discrimination.”

“As far as I know there is no Monroe City School Board policy saying what someone has to wear to attend the prom. You can’t just go making up policies,” McFarland said.

The student has decided not to attend her prom.

Female students wearing tuxes is nothing new in Vermilion Parish. There have been a couple of high schools that have faced that issue.  Female students were able to wear the tux without any  repercussion.

Vermilion School Superintendent Jerome Puyau  said the school district does not frown upon students wearing unique clothing like a tuxedo.

“I see nothing wrong with it,” Puyau said.

Abbeville High Principal Ivy  Landry has been a principal for five years. Each year a female student approaches him about wearing a tuxedo to the prom. Each year he says, “Yes.”

“I don’t have a problem with it,” said Landry. “It never has been an issue.”

The first thing he tells his students is to dress “appropriate” when dressing for dances.  He  said tuxedos or suits are “appropriate” in his book.

“No one has made an issue over it,” Landry added. “I think there are bigger issues to worry about.”

Puyau said all outfits for proms or dances must meet district handbook policy.

Prom at AHS and EHS is this weekend.