Newnan High School reverses prom ban for homeschooled student

Newnan High reverses homeschool prom ban

A Coweta County mother successfully challenged a high school principal's decision to bar her homeschooled son from attending prom with his longtime girlfriend.

NEWNAN, Ga. - A Coweta County mother says she has won a fight with local school officials after her homeschooled son was initially denied a ticket to his girlfriend's prom. Malik, a junior who is homeschooled, will now be allowed to attend the Newnan High School prom on April 25 alongside his girlfriend, Cali.

What we know:

The reversal comes after the school initially refused to let Cali, a student at Newnan High, purchase a ticket for Malik because he was not enrolled at the school. After the story gained traction on social media and in the local newspaper, the principal changed the decision.

While Newnan High originally acted as an exception, the Coweta County school system confirmed that two of the other three high schools in the county already allow homeschooled children to attend prom. The district noted that while they allow students from other local high schools and even graduates to attend, individual principals have the discretion to set their own rules for homeschooled guests.

What they're saying:

Sabrina Reasor, Malik’s mother, said she was surprised after her first conversation with the principal but believes the outpouring of local support made the difference.

"I don't wanna say that the community got outraged, but there was definitely a lot of, this doesn't make any sense. Discussion. Yeah, it was a very heated discussion in some cases, and I think that's healthy, I think that's good for the community," Reasor said.

In a written statement, a school official expressed confidence in the resolution, noting, "I am not surprised that communication between the principal and parent got this worked out."

The backstory:

Malik and Cali are both juniors and have been lifelong friends. According to family, the pair has been dating since the eighth grade. The obstacle to their prom plans stemmed from a district-level concern regarding security. The school system stated that it is often difficult to vet homeschooled students, leading some administrators to view their attendance as a safety issue.