Chino Hills high school senior expelled from school for livestreaming fight
A Chino Hills senior spoke out against the school district after the administration expelled her for livestreaming a fight.
"In our generation, you go live to do makeup, to do everything," senior Zoey said. "It was just going live just to go live. It wasn't my intent to purposely cause harm to anyone."
Zoey already took her senior graduation pictures and purchased her prom dress, but she can't go to the dance or walk in her commencement this month at Ayala High School because of the expulsion, possibly ruining her future academic plans.
"I got a substantial academic scholarship — a $19,000 scholarship — to go to a university," she said. "I'll be practicing law after I graduate."
The Chino Valley Unified School Board said it cannot comment on this incident due to student confidentiality laws. In an official expulsion letter from the board, officials accuse Zoey of violating three education codes: cyberbullying, intimidation, harassment and attempting to cause physical injury to another person. A source close to the incident told KCAL News that the incident was more of a planned attack on the victim.
Zoey said she did no such thing nor played any role in orchestrating the encounter.
"No, it was more of an impulsive thing," she said. "It was just bad judgment on my part."
The board wrote in the letter that her presence on campus would present a continued danger.
"It's very hurtful to me to hear these things said about her, knowing who she is and the integrity that she has," Zoey's mother said.
Her mother said she knows the district's student/parent handbook mentions possible disciplinary actions that could lead to expulsion.
"We did sign the document but so did the other student who got in a fight and he gets to walk," Zoey's mom said.
Zoey said she poured her heart out in an apology to the board, hoping it would reconsider and only suspend her, but she feels like it didn't matter.
"Everyone was working against me — the whole Chino Valley Unified School District," Zoey said. "They knew they wanted to make an example out of me and that's what they did."
Zoey will finish her education at an alternative school. Her family can appeal the expulsion with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, so she can still receive her diploma from Ayala High School.
