Kalaya Lespinasse: St. Lucie County superintendent apologizes for 'mistake' that kept student from walking at graduation over 'B

A Centennial High School student says she was stopped from walking across the stage at her graduation because she decorated her cap with the message ‘Black Lives Matter’.

THIS WEEKSHE DECORATED HER CAPHERE-- WITH THE WORDS BLACKLIVES MATTER.

NOW- THEDISTRICT IS APOLOGIZING- ANDCALLING THE ACTION A MISTAKE.WPTV'S MEGHAN MCROBERTSREPORTS FROM ST.

LUCIE COUNTY.EVERY HIGH SCHOOL GRAD LOOKSFORWARD TO THE FEELING“TOKNOW YOUFEELING” AND THE MOMENT- THATCAPS IT ALL OFF& WALKINGACROSS THE STAGE ATGRADUATION.

AND THIS YEAR- THEST.

LUCIE COUNTY SCHOOLDISTRICT LET STUDENTS DECORATETHEIR CAPS& FOR THE FIRSTTIME.

WE HADNBEFORE AND THE DECISION WASMADE BECAUSE THEYTHROUGH SO MUCH” WITH FEWRESTRICTIONS- JUST MAKE SURETHE CAP ISNPROFANE.

KALAYA LESPINASSECHOSE A MESSAGE IMPORTANT TOHER.“I WANTED TO PUT THEMESSAGE BLACK LIVES MATTERBECAUSE THEY MATTER.

ALWAYSAND FOREVER” SHE SHOWED UP-WITH HER FRIEND NOAH BURLEIGH.AT THE CHECK IN DESK FORSTUDENTS- THEY NOTICED ACOUPLE OF OTHER STUDENTS WITHBLM CAPS BEING TOLD THEYCOULDNTHE ONLY WAY YOU CAN WALKACROSS THE STAGE IS TO TAKEOFF YOUR CAP AND PUT ON APLAIN ONE.

I DIDNTHAT.

I WANTED TO WALK WITH MYCAP.

I TRIED TO CONVINCE THEMTO LET ME WALK WITH MY CAP.THEY SAID NO” SO KAYALA SPENTHER GRADUATION ON THESIDELINE.“I ALSO WORKED HARDAND I ALSO DESERVED THE SAMEOPPORTUNITY”“I DECIDED TOSTAND WITH HER BECAUSE IBELIEVE IN THE MOVEMENT, AND IBELIEVE THAT SHE DESERVES TOWALK SUPPORTING SOMETHING SHEBELIEVES IN” SUPERINTENDENTWAYNE GENT SAYS THIS WAS A BIGMISTAKE.“THIS SCHOOL THOUGHTTHEY WERENSOCIAL STATEMENT ON THE CAP,WHICH THEY WERE” GENT SAID HEEVEN CONTACTED THE STAFFTELLING THEM TO LET HER WALK&BUT HE SAYS THEY DIDNTHE MESSAGE IN TIME.

HE CALLEDTO APOLOGIZE& AND SAYS IT WILLNOT HAPPEN TO ANY FUTURESTUDENTS.“TO HER CREDIT, SHESTOOD UP FOR SOMETHING THATWAS IMPORTANT TO HER AND SHEWAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT IN THISCASE” MEGHAN MCROBERTS WPTVNC5THE STUDENT ALSO WANTED TOPRAISE ST.

LUCIE COUNTYDEPUTIES WHO-- INSTEAD OFESCORTING HER OUT - TOOK HERAND HER FRIENDS ON THE STAGEAFTERWARDS TO WALK AND TAKEPICTURES.

SEVERAL STUDENTSWEARING BLUE LIVES MATTER CAPSWERE ALSO TOLD TO WEAR PLAINCAPS.

THAT WILL ALSO BEALLOWED MOVING FORWARD