A woman in Mississippi has filed a federal lawsuit claiming her daughter was forced to share the honor of valedictorian in 2016 with a white student who had a lower grade point average, the Washington Post reports.
Jasmine Shepard was the first black valedictorian in the 110-year history of Cleveland High School. The day before graduation, however, Shepard was named “co-valedictorian” with a white student.
The school district claims the two students’ GPAs were identical, but Shepard’s mother, Sherry Shepard, disagrees.
“These children have been attending school with each other since middle school,” she told the Post. “We know the schedule, we know what they take, and we have a good idea where the discrepancy lies.”
In an interview with the Post, Sherry Shepard said her daughter was forced to speak after the white valedictorian at graduation, and also was slated to walk behind her before she objected.
The suit asks for unspecified monetary damages and for Jasmine Shepard to be declared “sole valedictorian.”
The white valedictorian was identified in the suit only as “H.B.” Sherry Shepard called her “the kindest-hearted, sweetest person.”
Sherry Shepard maintains a Facebook page with updates on the issue.
