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Mom Files Discrimination Suit After Daughter Is Forced To Share Valedictorian Honor With Less-Achieving White Student

Jasmine Shepard was the first black valedictorian in the school's 110-year history.

The mother of an African-American student who became her high school’s first ever black valedictorian is suing the school for making her daughter share the honor with a white student who had lower grades.

Sherry Shepard filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming the white kid, identified only as H.B., had a lower grade point average, according to the Washington Post. Her daughter, Jasmine, apparently had to share the honor during her May 2016 graduation from Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Mississippi.

The school is claiming the GPAs were identical. The suit also claims that the honor was racially motivated.

“Prior to 2016, all of Cleveland High School’s valedictorians were white,” part of the suit reads. “As a result of the school official’s unprecedented action of making an African-American student share the valedictorian award with a white student, the defendants discriminated against.”

An attorney for the Cleveland School District is calling the lawsuit “Frivolous.”

The mother is also claiming that her daughter was forced to give her graduation speech after the other student, and was even told to walk behind her to the podium, until her daughter complained.

“A child, when they earn honors, they are entitled to receive them,” Sherry Shepard said. “There is no inclusion in the Cleveland school district. When the district wants something, they just take it.”

See the full lawsuit details here.

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