The Caprock Academy board of directors voted Tuesday to let Kamryn Renfro of Grand Junction stay in the school. KJCT-TV reports the vote was 3-1. Kamryn shaved her head to help Delaney Clements get through chemotherapy that made her go bald. School officials first told Kamryn she violated the dress code and couldn't return, although they backed off and said she could attend classes at least temporarily. Tuesday's vote appeared to settle the matter.
The (Grand Junction) Daily Sentinel reports that the school board's chairwoman says the school's the dress code is designed to promote uniformity and a non-distracting environment. She said exceptions can be made under extraordinary circumstances.
Delaney is only 11 years old, but the bubbly little girl has already faced a lifetime of hardships.
"I have cancer called neuroblastoma and I've been getting a treatment called chemotherapy and it makes my hair fall out," she said.
"She's my best friend," Kamryn said.
"It made me feel very special and that I'm not alone," Delaney said.
"For a little girl to be really brave and want to shave her head in support of her friend, I thought it was a huge statement and it builds character," said Delaney's mom Wendy Campbell.
The girls' moms took to social media - and they received a lot of feedback from parents, like Corrina Shirley.
"She didn't shave her head to be a part of a gang or to be a rebel, she shaved her head to show her friend that she wasn't alone," Shirley said.
Shirley has two daughters of her own - and she says while she respects the decision, she strongly disagrees with it.
"I think there's times that rules are extremely important and I think there's times that compassion is far more important than any rulebook," Shirley said.
And even with the uproar it's caused, Kamryn says she doesn't regret her decision.
"Yeah, it felt like the right thing to do," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
