A 16-year-old softball player named Avery Grace took to her Facebook to share about her abrupt denial from Lafayette High School, which she believes is due to her past assault by a staff member.
Avery Grace, a softball player from St. Joseph, Missouri, was all set to start her junior year at Lafayette High School.
She had signed up for classes, met the principal, and was practicing with the softball team. She felt welcomed and excited to be part of the school. But just days before the school year began, her world turned upside down.
The superintendent of the St. Joseph School District canceled her enrollment, and Avery believes it’s because of something that happened to her when she was only four years old.
When Avery was only 4 years old, she was sexually assaulted by someone who worked for the Lafayette school district. And that person is still working there today.
Avery’s family asked the school to make a plan so she could attend classes safely without having to deal with the employee who hurt her.
Instead of helping, the superintendent decided Avery couldn’t go to Lafayette at all. On top of that, they made the decision without any meeting, explanation, or other options offered.
Avery took to her Facebook to share about her experience, hoping to get support and raise awareness. In her post, she wrote,
My name is Avery. I’m 16 years old, and I was ready to start my school year at Lafayette High School. I had registered for classes, met the principal, and even started practicing with the softball team. I was excited to be part of a community where I felt welcomed and supported.
Avery Grace
But just days before school started, the superintendent reversed my enrollment—without meeting with me or my family, and without offering any alternative.
She explained how the superintendent reversed her enrollment without even talking to her or her family.
What makes this even harder for Avery is that the superintendent has a close personal connection to the employee who assaulted her, going back to when the assault was first investigated.
This makes Avery and her family question whether the decision to block her from school was fair or if it was about protecting someone the superintendent knows.
Avery expressed her disappointment, saying, “I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m a student who wants to learn, grow, and be part of a school community. I deserve safety. I deserve access to education. I deserve to be treated with dignity.“
Similarly, in her Facebook post, Avery made it clear this isn’t just about her, writing:
This isn’t just about me. It’s about whether survivors are protected. It’s about whether our schools put students first.
Avery Grace
She ended her post by asking for help, saying, “Please help me speak up. Share this post. Let the school board know that our community stands for justice, safety, and the right of every child to learn.”
At the end of the post, Avery included hashtags such as #LetAveryLearn, #SupportSurvivors, and #StudentSafetyMatters to spread her message.
The post accumulated an overwhelming response and has been shared by many people who want to support her.
Riley Calloway, a student who attended Lafayette High School, commented,
Having been a student at Lafayette myself with VERY questionable staff at the time, this does not surprise me one bit. I’m SO sorry you’re dealing with this. You deserve better!!!
Riley Calloway
Riley’s words suggest that Avery’s experience may point to larger problems at the school, indicating that others have also had concerns about the staff.
For now, the 16-year-old is asking people to keep sharing her Facebook post and to tell the St. Joseph School District that every student deserves a safe place to learn.
