Star Homewood-Flossmoor High School Student Banned from Prom over Poem

• Photos Courtesy of Taiylar Ball's Facebook page

A Homewood-Flossmoor High School student was all dressed up with no place to go Saturday—or so said her school's administration.

Taiylar Ball, 18, was banned from attending her prom, following her use of the word "nigga" during a performance of her original spoken word piece "Dear Black Girls."

Ball—who was accepted into 11 schools, awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships, and earned a full-ride scholarship to Florida A&M—was told she wasn't welcome at her school's big night due to actions that "were offensive to many," according to Principal Dr. Ryan Pitcock.

She told JetMag that she used the word as a way to "empower the black race" and "combat stereotypes that people have about Black people." An excerpt of the poem is below.

“My complexion is beautiful you see, look at me…You will never understand how it feels to walk this earth as a Black woman…You only feeling me when my chocolate skin is shining with coconut oil flexing with tits out on Twitter…Dear Black girls your mind is filled with self hate, and emotion but let me tell you brown girl, you are one of a kind…love yourself cus they don’t…there is power in your melanin…Dear Black man, brothers, n***a? Kim K wearing you like an accessory, be conscious black man…”

See her performance here, courtesy of Ball:

Students were required to audition for the talent show with any piece they intended to perform. They then were expected to stick to that piece as shown during the audition process. Ball says she told the teacher that her poem was not quite finished, but that she was told to continue with the audition. The line using the word was added after the audition.

Jodi Bryant, Director of Human Resources and Public Relations, told WGN that students know the rules—and the consequences should they choose to overstep.

"It was reiterated at the dress rehearsal that all performances must be performed without any additions or changes to content, presentation, and/or costume," according to the statement. "It is understood by students a deviation during the actual performance may result in consequences."

In the hours preceding the event, Ball emailed Pitcock, arguing she wasn't allowed adequate time to appeal the decision as detailed in the school's disciplinary codes, noting in particular that she did not cause any violence, nor was it her intention to do so. School policy also states that students are entitled to "know our punishment and the reason," she wrote in the email. The principal stood by his decision. Ball didn't back down. She slipped into her $1,000 dress and strutted the red carpet at a pre-prom photo shoot, even riding along with friends in a limo to the event, held at Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

When she arrived at the doors, she was sent away, with Pitcock saying that they would discuss her eligibility to walk in upcoming commencement ceremonies on Monday.

Her classmates proclaim that the principal's actions were heavy-handed, with friend Anthony Davis calling the poem, "riveting."

“Especially in a day and age where young Black women feel that they are less than and that is perpetuated time and time again," Davis told Jet Magazine.

Ball's graduation participation status is pending for Sunday, May 29. Many have taken to social media to implore that supporters call and email school administrators to urge they allow her to march.

Meanwhile, Ball is thankful for the support and momentum her story has gained.

"I wanted to take a picture with everyone, but that wasn't humanly possible with my support team showing out!" she wrote on her Facebook page. "...The amount of support I'm receiving is amazing."

What do you think of Ball's piece, and of the school's decision?