MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A high school student in Oklahoma is fighting to change her school’s policy on prom so she can bring a 48-year-old man with Down syndrome as her date.

Alexis Morse invited her friend T.T. Glass to her senior prom at Muskogee High School this Saturday. 

However, the school’s policy states that no one 21 years or older is allowed to attend the prom, said Melony Carey, director of secondary education for Muskogee Public Schools. 

Morse said she is plans to fight the school on their policy, saying she believes the Glass should be exempted from the rule.

“I believe you have to be strong enough to tell other people no,” Morse said. “This is different. He has Down syndrome. I am going to go and really push to have them let him come to prom.”

Morse, who knows Glass from when they worked together at a local restaurant, said he loves to dance and that he was looking forward to attending.

“When we took him to get his tux, he said ‘Wow!’ and held his hands up and said, ‘Party’ — and whenever he sees me now he shouts ‘Party!'” Morse said.

School officials said the decision is unrelated to Glass’s condition and they are working on a way to compromise so the night is still special for him.

“While we understand the intent of the request and the heart that is truly behind it, we cannot allow it,” Carey said. “If we allow it in this one instance, we would have to allow others because we cannot discriminate that way as a public institution.”

Carey said she and Dawna Buck, Muskogee High School principal, have discussed how they can include Glass in another way that would not violate the school’s age policy.

Morse said she has a meeting with Buck on Friday morning to try to work something out, though Buck reiterated the school’s rule of no one 21 or over allowed at the prom.

“He wants to go dance,” Morse said. “He loves to dance and listens to any music. He has the best heart ever. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Burton writes for the Muskogee, Oklahoma Pheonix.