A West Point High School senior was left out of the annual yearbook and class composite photo last week, after having her photo taken in the traditional male garb of a tuxedo and tie. School officials say the absence was a ‘mistake’ and they are working to fix it, though an online anti-discrimination campaign has already launched over the issue.

Student Brooke Harbison, who identifies herself as a lesbian, has dressed in male clothes for most of her teenage life, and planned to take her senior portrait in a tuxedo — as opposed to the typical female outfit of a dress or drape — because she said she felt it was a better representation of her personality.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always been a tomboy, and I’ve never really wore girls clothes,” she said. “That’s just who I am. I’m not going to take a picture of who I’m not.”

The school allowed her to have her picture made for personal use, but the picture was eventually left out of the final yearbook. When yearbooks arrived last week, Harbison realized she was missing from the senior class page.

“I talked to the principal, and he said it was because of tradition, that they wouldn’t include her because she wasn’t in the traditional drape,” Harbison’s mother Denise Vandiver said. “Brooke felt it was because of her homosexual orientation. For all these years she has dressed like a boy, and I feel like if someone can dress like a boy, and that be a part of who they are for so long, then they should have a chance to be in the annual.”

Harbison’s story has become a hot topic in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community in recent days, with a “Justice for Brooke! STOP descrimination [sic]” Facebook page already netting more than 150 “Likes.” A Change.org petition called “GIRL LEFT OUT OF YEARBOOK AND SENIOR ACTIVITES [sic] DUE TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION!” has also gained momentum in recent days, with nearly 600 signatures to date.

West Point High Principal Heith Yearwood said Harbison’s exclusion from the yearbook represents a few things: An antiquated photography protocol, and an unfortunate event.

But, he said it was absolutely not a case of prejudice or harassment based on sexual orientation.

“Each year boys are photographed in a tux, while  girls wear drapes, and one student wanted her photo taken in a tux this time,” Yearwood said. “The protocol we’ve had since the mid-1980s is that we didn’t allow that to happen, and we followed that protocol. She was allowed to take a picture in a tux for personal use, and did, but that wasn’t included in the yearbook.”

Yearwood said the issue revolved around the interpretation of the photography protocol, and nothing more.

“I know there are a lot of false accusations out there, saying a student has been denied inclusion in the yearbook because of sexual orientation, but that is not the truth,” he said. “I hate it, because our number one thing is you don’t want to hurt a child. We made a decision based on the rules, and we have to make interpretations all the time. We’ve had same-sex couples attend prom, and things like that, and we do not discriminate.”

The school has already contacted the yearbook company to purchase a replacement page, which will include Harbison, that will be made available to every student who purchased a yearbook.

“It’s the protocol if someone is left out accidentally, and I actually made contact with the company last week, and we should have those really soon,” Yearwood said. “Any student who purchased a yearbook will have access to it, and we’re trying to help in every way we possibly can.”

Harbison said she’s glad the school is taking steps to correct her exclusion, but she wishes it wouldn’t have been an issue to begin with.

“I know they said they didn’t mean to, but I do think it’s a little funny, and I do feel like I was discriminated against,” she said. “I wish I would’ve just been in there originally with my classmates, but I am glad they’re going out of the way to fix it. I just wish it would’ve gone differently.”

When asked if the incident this year could influence policy change in the future, Yearwood said he will likely meet with upcoming seniors to see if they would prefer taking yearbook shots in a graduation gown, as opposed to a tuxedo or drape.

“If students wanted to do that, we’d absolutely be open to that,” he said. “We’ve also already opened up our dress code for graduation, and girls can wear slacks if they prefer under their gowns.”

* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.