A Houston area student is disciplined for not following the dress code, but it's not just baggy pants or an offensive t-shirt that got him sent home.
17 year-old O'Rhonde Chapman went to school Monday morning at Nimitz Senior High School dressed in a patterned purple and white blouse, black leather pants, bold jewelry, purple high heels, and a stylish wig. But because he's really a boy, he said his principal sent him home.
"He was rude to me and I felt discriminated against and judged," said Chapman. "It should never have occurred like that."
He said he gradually became a cross dresser at school over the last two years but Monday was the first time he wore a wig.
School officials declined to talk on camera but did tell 39 News over the phone that Chapman's look was "over the top" and "too disruptive to other students."
"He looked like any other female there so he was no much of a distraction at all," said George Cabrera, a fellow senior.
"It really doesn't affect me," said Warren Houston, another schoolmate.
Number 7 of the distirct's Discipline Management Plan states that "wigs are unacceptable as a cover-up for hair not meeting the dress code".
That shouldn't apply to Chapman since his regular hair style as seen on his student ID does meet the dress code. But number 15 does state that stiletto heels are prohibited.
"They have women who dressed like men," said Chapman. "It's not fair. I'm not being treated equally."
Despite what his principal said to him, which according to Chapman was: "You had to go home... You can not come back here with that hair and those shoes you have on", the cross dressing teen said he would continue to wear his wig and heels. He has even considered hiring a lawyer.
17 year-old O'Rhonde Chapman went to school Monday morning at Nimitz Senior High School dressed in a patterned purple and white blouse, black leather pants, bold jewelry, purple high heels, and a stylish wig. But because he's really a boy, he said his principal sent him home.
"He was rude to me and I felt discriminated against and judged," said Chapman. "It should never have occurred like that."
He said he gradually became a cross dresser at school over the last two years but Monday was the first time he wore a wig.
School officials declined to talk on camera but did tell 39 News over the phone that Chapman's look was "over the top" and "too disruptive to other students."
"He looked like any other female there so he was no much of a distraction at all," said George Cabrera, a fellow senior.
"It really doesn't affect me," said Warren Houston, another schoolmate.
Number 7 of the distirct's Discipline Management Plan states that "wigs are unacceptable as a cover-up for hair not meeting the dress code".
That shouldn't apply to Chapman since his regular hair style as seen on his student ID does meet the dress code. But number 15 does state that stiletto heels are prohibited.
"They have women who dressed like men," said Chapman. "It's not fair. I'm not being treated equally."
Despite what his principal said to him, which according to Chapman was: "You had to go home... You can not come back here with that hair and those shoes you have on", the cross dressing teen said he would continue to wear his wig and heels. He has even considered hiring a lawyer.
