Girl Crowdfunds For Tuition Claiming Parents Cut Her Off For Swirling

This is an interesting one. 18-year-old Memphis teen Allie Dowdle is crowdfunding for tuition funds because she alleges her racist parents cut her off for dating a black guy.

She shared her story via GoFundMe:

About a year ago, I told my parents that I’d started dating a boy named Michael, pictured with me above. Hoping to share him with my family, I showed my parents his picture, and the conversation was over before it even began. My dad did not give me an option: he told me that I was not allowed to see Michael ever again. Why? Strictly because of skin color. It wasn’t a quiet “no,” either. I’ll never forget the yelling my parents did, when they expressed how disappointed they were in me, that I could do so much better. I did not know what to do. I couldn’t comprehend how someone could be seen as less because of pigment. I still can’t comprehend it, and I never will be able to. Michael and I continued to see each other, but discretely. Over the past year, I’ve fought so hard to make my parents see Michael as a human being instead of just someone who is African American. I’ve advocated as best I know how. Finally, about a month ago, Michael and I approached my parents, but their response was much more drastic than I could’ve ever expected. As I am 18, my parents have chosen to no longer support my future, stripping me of all my resources including my personal savings, my car, my phone, and my education and leaving me on my own to pay for college. Unfortunately, I will no longer be able to attend college if I cannot come up with the money somehow. My parents also got involved with my school in attempt to get me removed from the organizations I’ve been a part of, like Coexist and Facing History and Ourselves, clubs that essentially encourage valueing and treating people equally. I’ve applied and received some scholarship money through financial aid, including grants, loans, and work-study, but I still need at least $10,000 to cover the first year of my remaining out of pocket tuition for college by May 1st. I’ve been applying for scholarships and have tried to get a job, but I am still living under my parents’ roof because I have nowhere else to live, and my dad has done everything in his power to make the world difficult for me. I am not able to get a job because I do not have consistent transportation available.

You can read the rest HERE…

You’ll notice not everyone who commented on her page is a supporter, with many folks accusing her of manipulation and being spoiled.

Her father Bill Dowdle actually responded to her story to NY Daily News, denying being racist but admitting it wouldn’t be his preference because of issues involve with biracial dating in the South.

Allie’s pops also acknowledges that since she’s 18 she can do what she wants.

The elder Dowdle said “it was never about race,” that he is not a racist and that his daughter’s statements about race are “a justification and gave her the moral high ground.” He said that he and his wife would accept whomever their daughter wanted to date, but that he disapproved of both Michael and a previous boyfriend in part because Allie had started seeing them in secret. The father said that he decided to cut off her college money because she has been spoiled and “it became obvious that she needed to go out in the world and grow up.”

Interesting… So it kinda sounds like a case of both here. Parents have a bias and daughter is spoiled.

What do you think? Allie raised $13,258 of her $10K goal!