Hide Transcript Show Transcript

AT SCHOOL. THE PARENT SAYS HER DAUGHTER WAS REMOVED FROM A SCHOOL DANCE BECAUSE OF HER IDENTIFICATION AS A TRANSGENDER FEMALE. WJCL'S SHARON JOHNSON TALKED TO THE MOTHER ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND BRINGS US THEIR STORY. SHARON, WHAT DID SHE HAVE TO SAY? CHARISSA MEHOJAH SAYS ADMINISTRATORS HERE AT RICE CREEK SCHOOL KICKED HER DAUGHTER OUT OF A DANCE-- AND LATER ASKED FOR MEDICAL PROOF THAT SHE IS TRANSGENDER. "I WAS FURIOUS. I WAS LIVID. ALL SHE WAS WEARING WAS AN OUTFIT THAT I OR YOU WOULD WEAR TO GO OUT TO EAT WITH A LOVED ONE." CHARISSA MEHOJAH SAYS HER 13-YEAR-OLD TRANSGENDER DAUGHTER WAS WEARING A BLACK BLOUSE, BLACK SLACKS, EYESHADOW, AND A ROSE IN HER HAIR WHEN SHE WAS PULLED OUT OF A VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE AT RICE CREEK SCHOOL. MEHOJAH SAYS SHE LATER FOUND OUT HER DAUGHTER WAS PULLED OUT AND ISOLATED IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY. "SHE WAS CRYING AND UPSET BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS WHO SHE IS INSIDE, IN A PUBLIC SETTING. HONESTLY, SHE WAS GOING TO GO IN A DRESS, BUT SHE CHOSE NOT TO JUST IN CASE IT WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM." MEHOJAH SAYS SHE MET WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR-WHO TOLD HER SHE REMOVED HER DAUGHTER BECAUSE SHE WAS WEARING A COSTUME. THE MOM SAYS WHEN SHE EXPLAINED TO THE COUNSELOR AND PRINCIPAL THAT HER DAUGHTER IS TRANSGENDER, THE PRINCIPAL ASKED HER FOR MEDICAL PROOF. "INSTEAD OF APOLOGIZING AND CORRECTING THE BEHAVIOR, THEY ASKED FOR MEDICAL PROOF THAT MY DAUGHTER IS TRANSGENDER. THERE IS NO SUCH ANIMAL AS MEDICAL PROOF." - CHARISSA MEHOJAH MEHOJAH TELLS ME SINCE THE MEETING.... THE PRINCIPAL HAS VERBALLY APOLOGIZED TO HER DAUGHTER... BUT NO ONE HAS CONTACTED HER. WE LOOKED UP THE DRESS POLICY FOR SAVANNAH CHATHAM SCHOOLS FOR NON- UNIFORM DAYS. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE DRESS CODE THAT RESTRICTS STUDENTS FROM WEARING BLOUSES, SLACKS, MAKEUP, OR ARE AT YOUR CORE. YOU PORT WENTWORTH, SJ, CHARISSA MEHOJAH SAYS ADMINISTRATORS HERE AT RICE CREEK SCHOOL KICKED HER DAUGHTER OUT OF A DANCE-- AND LATER ASKED FOR MEDICAL PROOF THAT SHE IS TRANSGENDE PORT WENTWORTH, SJ, WJCL 22 NEW TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THIS PICTURE. POLICE IN GEORGIA NEED YOUR HELP FINDING THIS MISSING TEEN. HER NAME IS XIMENA (ZEE-MENA) ESPINOSA. SHE IS 13-YEARS- OLD AND HAS BEEN MISSING FOR OVER A MONTH. SHE WAS LAST SEEN JANUARY 31ST..IN DULUTH. IF YOU SEE HER CALL POLICE. POLICE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY ALSO NEED YOUR HELP FINDING THIS MAN. POLICE SAY 25- YEAR-OLD JOSHUA BELFROM WAS LAST SEEN IN NORTH CHARLESTON BACK IN JA

Advertisement Mother says transgender daughter was pulled out of dance at Chatham County school Charissa Mehojah says her daughter was the victim of discrimination by administrators at Port Wentworth school Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Above video: Parent claims school discriminationA Chatham County parent says her daughter was pulled out of a school dance because of her identification as a transgender female. “I was furious. I was livid. All she was wearing was an outfit that I or you would wear to go out to eat with a loved one,” said Charissa Mehojah. Charissa Mehojah says her 13-year-old transgender daughter was wearing a black blouse, black slacks, eye shadow, and a rose in her hair when she was pulled out of a Valentine’s Day dance at Rice Creek School in Port Wentworth. Mehojah says she later found out her daughter was pulled out and isolated in the school library.“She was crying and upset because this was the first time she was able to express who she is inside, in a public setting. Honestly, she was going to go in a dress, but she chose not to just in case it was going to be a problem,” said Mehojah.Mehojah says she met with the school counselor—who told her she removed her daughter because she was wearing a costume.The mom says when she explained to the counselor and principal that her daughter is transgender, the principal asked her for medical proof. “Instead of apologizing and correcting the behavior, they asked for medical proof that my daughter is transgender. There is no such animal as medical proof,” said Mehojah.Mehojah says since the meeting the principal has verbally apologized to her daughter, but no one has contacted her. We looked up the dress policy for Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools for non-uniform days.There is nothing in the dress code that restricts students from wearing blouses, slacks, makeup, or flowers, regardless of that student’s gender or gender expression. “Childhood is when you- your formative years are when you start forming who you are at your core. You should be able to express that," said Mehojah. The district responded to us with a statement in regards to the situation: SCCPSS supports and respects the rights of all students and does not discriminate based on the individual's race, color, religion, or sexual orientation. We encourage students to build communities of inclusion and acceptance at their respective schools in accordance with district policy. Several high schools in the district have clubs and groups for LGBTQ students. To our knowledge, there has been no request for a club for LGBQT students at Rice Creek. The District seeks to provide a safe and orderly learning environment that responds to the needs of students in a manner that fosters respect for everyone and supports our vision of teaching and learning.Our staff and students understand the need to support the rights of all while balancing the need for preserving an orderly environment. It is expected that students will adhere to dress code requirements at school and during school sponsored activities. Our students’ adherence to these requirements help to minimize disruptions to the learning environment or school activity. Any special considerations must be fully communicated so the school can review all requests and respond appropriately. Our information does not support the claim that the school principal asked for “medical proof” in this situation. Rather, the word “medical” was referenced when explaining the basis for certain policy exceptions. The school remains committed to all students and is working closely with the family to ensure the student is provided a supportive, caring learning environment. Below video: Family pushes to adopt change in policy to protect transgender students