Genevieve York-Erwin, the high school valedictorian who refused to wear the dress required at her school’s graduation ceremony, quietly received her diploma Thursday morning in the principal’s office at Oak Park-River Forest High School.
Her mother, Nancy, took pictures, and school officials had kind words to say. Still, it was a bittersweet moment for the young woman.
“I will go away from my high school experience somewhat bitter toward this place that has been otherwise wonderful,” said York-Erwin, 18, who plans to attend Yale University this fall.
Refusing to comply with the school’s requirement that girls wear long white gowns earned York-Erwin a seat in the bleachers for graduation. And because school administrators turned down her request to wear white dress pants and a white blazer instead, she wasn’t allowed to deliver the valedictory speech before about 600 classmates.
Seven other students gave valedictory addresses. Her absence from the stage didn’t seem to affect graduation for her classmates.
It marked the end of a standoff between a young woman who wanted to strike a blow for a woman’s right to choose her formal attire and a school administration that wanted to preserve its long-standing traditions. Neither backed down, even after 1,100 students signed a petition backing York-Erwin’s stand.
Already, York-Erwin regrets not being able to participate with her friends, but she believes she made a decision she can live with.
“I think either way, I wasn’t going to be pleased with the outcome,” she said. “I think I’d be more unhappy if I went through with it. I can’t know that for sure. But I feel like I needed to go with what I feel like right now and hope it works out later.”
The experience opened her eyes, she said, in a lot of ways. She distrusts “bureaucracy” and has gained a greater appreciation for social activism. And she also got a taste of the media, something she said she can live without.
The worst part of the experience, she said, was being lectured by a local TV personality, who accused her of just trying to draw attention to herself.
“It was really surreal to have someone lecture me from the TV,” York-Erwin said. “My parents don’t even do that. To have it from someone like that, who doesn’t know what’s going on and doesn’t know me, it was an odd experience.”
Nancy York-Erwin said there would probably be some sadness surrounding Thursday night’s graduation ceremony, but she feels her daughter did the right thing. She blasted school officials for being so rigid over what amounted to some seams in a swatch of material.
“I thought it was a reasonable request from a reasonable young woman,” the mother said. “She wasn’t trying to go in a blue suit and red tie.”
School officials could not be reached for comment.
