A Galena Park teenager with purple hair was recently crowned North Shore Senior High School’s homecoming queen.
However, when the news was posted on the school district’s website, Ebony Smith’s hair was edited to look brown. Bright hair colors are considered a dress code violation.
“It’s embarrassing. It wasn’t even Photoshopped correctly. You can still see purple outlining. It’s just very embarrassing,” said Smith.
Smith agreed to dye her hair brown after homecoming, but her mother says she is frustrated by how the situation was handled.
“You changed her to make her look like someone else. Keep her as who she is. That’s who the students voted in,” said Tameasha Watkins, her mother.
Galena Park I.S.D. sent the following statement to KHOU 11 News Tuesday:
Galena Park ISD was contacted earlier today regarding a photo displayed on the webpage with one of our press releases. After looking into this parent’s concern, we did discover the incorrect photo was posted with the story highlighting her child. The error was immediately corrected, and our district sincerely apologizes to the student affected and her parents. Our intent has been, and will continue to be, to acknowledge and spotlight the accomplishments of our students, and we do regret this mistake.
The North Shore Senior High School homecoming online press release was changed to include a black and white picture of Smith Tuesday.