Amanda Lemon, an 18-year-old mother, filed a discrimination grievance with her high school principal for banning her admission into the National Honor Society because she is a mother. Lemon, who holds a 3.8 grade point average, claims that the decision violates federal law.
The National Honor Society has more than 14,000 high school chapters nationwide and allows each chapter to set membership standards for grade point average, service, leadership and character. School officials said that parenthood immediately disqualifies a student from being admitted to the society.
A statement from the American Association of University Women declared, “Xenia, Ohio high school officials are exercising a double standard, applying a character criterion of pregnancy to girls that cannot possibly be applied to boys in the same way. What we’ve seen of this young woman’s courage and conviction indicates the school’s definition of “character” is seriously flawed.
