Kati has Chiari Malformation, a genetic condition affecting the brain. And with May quickly approaching, 18-year-old Kati wants to sit with her class at graduation. But that desire is causing lots of problems.

After being diagnosed with rare Chiari Malformation a few years ago, Kati's life changed forever. "It's horrible because I was an honor student, a 3.8, 4.0 student going from sport to sport to sport," she said. "Now, nothing. Chiari's taken my life away."

With Chiari Malformation, the base of the skull doesn't contain the base of the brain. That can cause debilitating headaches, dizzy spells, and sometimes, even disrupts vision and speech. While living with Chiari is a daily struggle, Kati wants one thing.

"All I want to do is sit with my class and walk with my class. I don't care if they go on stage and say I don't have a high school diploma." But because she's several credits short, the Laurel Board of Education is denying her request. And Kati is heartbroken.

"I didn't ask to be sick. All I'm doing is asking to walk across the stage with my class. And what's wrong with that?" The school board said the ruling is a matter of policy. According to item 24-16 in the Laurel Public Schools handbook, "a student's right to participate in the commencement exercises of the graduating class at Laurel High School is an earned right. Participation in this ceremony is reserved for those members of the graduating class who have completed all of the state and local requirements for graduation before the date of the ceremony."

While the district has said it's sticking to protocol, a group of concerned citizens in Laurel has gathered more than 200 signatures in Kati's favor. The school board says they'll take up the issue again in a few weeks.