Gaston teen told not to return to school because of her musical performance venues

Gaston teen and singer songwriter Bailey Griggs was recently kicked out of Cramerton Christian Academy ahead of her senior year.

The family said 17-year-old Griggs was told she could not return for her senior year because she performs her music in venues that serve alcohol.

In an email addressed to her mother, Jennifer Griggs, the school said Bailey will not be eligible to attend homeschool bridge classes at the academy next year due to policies that prohibit students from, "attending night clubs or bars", and "attending gatherings with alcohol or drugs present."

According to Griggs, she began singing when she was 10, and her career took off almost immediately.

After years of vocal lessons and small shows, she booked a gig at Apollo Theater in New York City and was soon discovered by producer Kent Wells, who is also Dolly Parton’s producer.

At that time, she began frequently traveling for the job, and her parents made the decision to homeschool her.

Although Griggs is technically homeschooled, she was attending Cramerton Christian Academy through their homeschool bridge program, which allowed her to participate in school sports and enjoy some aspects of a standard teenage experience.

Jenniffer Griggs said she offered her daughter the opportunity to graduate early on several occasions, but Bailey Griggs turned them down as she was determined to graduate high school with her classmates and enjoy senior year.

“This was the one thing she did that was normal in her life,” Jennifer Griggs said.

Bailey Griggs was the captain of the cheerleading team, an active member at Cramerton Christian’s church, and a motivational speaker who at times visits young children to talk about achieving dreams at the request of other schools in the area, according to her mother.

In the last five years, Bailey Griggs said she has made many friends at Cramerton Christian and was looking forward to senior year.

“They ripped that away,” her mother said,

The family said they are not asking leaders to change their decision.

“At this point, I don’t think she’d feel comfortable going back to that school,” Jennifer Griggs said.

However, they do believe the rule should apply to everyone, they said.

Jennifer Griggs said students and faculty at Cramerton Christian Academy would have to be very careful to avoid eating at a restaurant that serves alcohol, which is commonplace today.

Cramerton Christian responded to an email from The Gazette and said, "The Homeschool Bridge program has very high standards that we require all students to abide by. We do not enroll students who don’t meet those standards."

Bailey Griggs said she has always been open and honest about her career from the beginning and has never hidden her performances from the public or social media.

The family is looking into other homeschool bridge programs in the county where she can finish high school.

As for her career, Bailey Griggs said she will continue to perform.

In August, she will be performing with Josh Sanders at Coyote Joes in Charlotte.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Teen told not to return to school because of her musical performance venues