FREEPORT, Texas — It's tradition that homecoming queens are crowned by the previous year's winner, but that didn't happen at Brazosport High School this year.
On Friday, the 2023 Brazosport High School homecoming queen was crowned by the queen of 2020.
It was a moment Kayleigh Craddock said she should have been part of.
"Because it's tradition and I feel like I should still be able to do it," Craddock, the 2022 Brazosport High homecoming queen, said. "Everybody should be able to do it. I feel like graduation has nothing to do with homecoming."
Craddock was planning to come back to her alma mater to do the honors, but the district told her she had been uninvited because of the Mexican cultural sash she wore during her graduation ceremony.
Brazosport ISD told KHOU11 the sash was not allowed and said Craddock was told by a staff member to remove it and she refused to comply. The district said the guidelines state, "Graduation stoles and cords are school-issued only,"
Craddock denied that.
During multiple interviews, she's maintained she was told she could wear the sash and said no one told her to take it off.
She'd hoped for a change of heart from the district, but it stood firm.
"I mean that's their choice," Craddock said. "I really don't care no more."
And that's why she decided not to go to this year's homecoming game.
"Yeah im not going to go because I feel like it's going to cause a lot of attention. Unnecessary attention," she said.
Parents said they thought the punishment was also unnecessary.
"Homecoming queen is a big honor and the tradition of handing it off the next year is a big deal as well so it's just so petty," Craddock said.
Despite the outcome, Craddock said she'll continue to fight for her culture and her beliefs.
"I'm always going to stand up for what I believe in no matter what anyone has to say," she said.
During Friday's Brazosport High homecoming game, the announcer said the 2020 homecoming queen was crowning this year's queen because she was unable to crown her replacement because of COVID.