Las Vegas high school forced to back down after student alleges they broke the law by attempting to restrict her graduation attire

A student has claimed that her high school is breaking the law by preventing her from wearing a homemade graduation robe to her upcoming graduation ceremony.

Jocelynne Zepeda, a senior at El Dorado High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, said that she wanted to wear the custom-made regalia for her May 31 graduation but said the school initially denied her request.

The high school graduate wanted to wear a Guatemalan flag, which she said represents her mother’s side of the family, and flag of Mexico, as a tribute to her father who died earlier this year. 

 'My dad passed this past year. I want to show him, and I want him to be proud,' she said, in part. 'I’m proud of who I am because that’s who he is.'

Zepeda's mother Katie Franco told local Fox5 News that she submitted photos on April 2nd, and followed the school's instructions to obtain approval, but never got a response until weeks later.

On May 6, Franco said she received an email response from the school administration informing her to 'only wear things received by Eldorado during the ceremony.'

She then contacted the ACLU of Nevada. 

The non-profit organization had sent a letter in April to the Clark County School District.

In the letter they urged them to repeal their graduation participation agreement that outlines the ceremony dress code. 

They also cited a bill that was passed in 2023, which allows students to wear cultural and religious items at graduation.

Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of ACLU of Nevada, told the news outlet:  'Students are being told that they can’t wear stoles representing their national origin, and that is a total insult and violation of AB73.'

The Clark County School District issued a statement to DailyMail.com stating that the school district rescinded the graduation participation agreement, as of April 19, 2024.

'Students are permitted to wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance as an adornment to their cap and gown in accordance with AB73,' the Clark County SD media relations department said.

'CCSD encourages all students and families to be mindful of the occasion and respectful of their fellow graduates so that everyone can enjoy the ceremony equally.”