VILLE PLATTE, La. (KLFY) – Ville Platte High School has had the same criteria for homecoming selection for as long as anyone can remember.

Now school leadership has installed guidelines that are not sitting well with parents and students. This may seem like your typical high school drama but for some here, it means much more.”

One student said:  “Well when you get to your senior year, it’s like everything has been stripped from you.”

The student said she along with 10 of her friends were not selected to the homecoming court under new rules.

“You have to do something for four years and have the GPA and everything but now it’s like you don’t have to do nothing to be on court,” she said.

In the past, only students involved in sports-related activities could be selected for the court. Now, anyone involved in any type of student organization can be selected.

The change means only ten percent of the senior class can be elected to homecoming court — as opposed to before when there was no limit.

Melanie Miller is the principal of Ville Platte High.

She said the decision was based on class sizes.

“What if one year I have 40 that actually qualify for the court? Am I supposed to put 40 girls on the field? I just wanted to be fair and realistic,” Miller explained.

Miller is trying to bring the focus back to the good aspects of the school.

“I’m disappointed that these distractions are taking away from good academic things that are going on,” Miller said.

The decision for the court comes down to popular vote.

10 girls made the court out of the 96 students in the class.