WASHINGTON — Controversy marking the annual homecoming at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia, has some students at odds with the county school system over the rules.
In a tweet sent out Wednesday, a Twitter account that identifies itself as Fairfax County Public Schools Student Union accused school leaders of discrimination for denying two male students the opportunity to be selected together as homecoming kings.
The group wrote that it was “deeply troubled and disappointed,” and the decision “directly influences all students of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Fairfax County Public Schools said the selection process is unchanged from previous years.
“Five male students and five female students will be presented as the homecoming court next month at a school pep rally. Students will select one king and one queen from the court,” John Torre, public information officer at Fairfax County Public Schools, said in a statement.
The school system’s statement went on to say that all homecoming court members may present either individually or as couples, accompanied by family members.
The student union has denounced the decision of selecting only one male and one female, calling it “traditional old school nuclear family type stuff that is outdated in 2018.”
FCPS Student Union’s official statement regarding discrimination against @ChrisMateoParr and @Jake5833 at Robinson Secondary School. pic.twitter.com/C2SYFs83vq
— FCPS Student Union (@studentsFCPS) September 12, 2018
Homecoming at Robinson Secondary was scheduled for this week but has been postponed a month because of Hurricane Florence.
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to clarify that though the Twitter account identifies itself as the Fairfax County Public Schools Student Union, it is not part of the county school system, according to a school system official.
