Thread: Mississippi school prom off after lesbian's date request

Mississippi school prom off after lesbian's date request
Shelia Byrd, Associated Press Writer – 50 mins ago

JACKSON, Miss. – A northern Mississippi school district will not be hosting a high school prom this spring after a lesbian student sought to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.

The Itawamba County school district's board decided Wednesday to drop the prom because of what it called recent distractions but without specifically mentioning the girl's request, which was backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The student, 18-year-old high school senior Constance McMillen, said the cancellation was retaliation for her efforts to bring her girlfriend, also a student, to the April 2 dance.

"A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this, so in a way it's really retaliation," McMillen told The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson. Calls to McMillen by The Associated Press late Wednesday went unanswered.

School policy requires that senior prom dates be of the opposite sex. The ACLU of Mississippi had given the district until Wednesday to change that policy, arguing that banning same-sex prom dates violated McMillen's constitutional rights.

Instead, the school board met and issued a statement announcing it wouldn't host the event at Itawamba County Agricultural High School in Fulton, "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events."

The statement didn't mention McMillen or the ACLU. When asked by The Associated Press if McMillen's demand led to the cancellation, school board attorney Michele Floyd said she could only reference the statement.

"It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors," district officials said in the statement. "However, at this time, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Itawamba County School District, after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students."

Kristy Bennett, legal director for the ACLU of Mississippi, said the district was trying to avoid the issue.

"But that doesn't take away their legal obligations to treat all the students fairly," Bennett said. "On Constance's behalf, this is unfair to her. All she's trying to do is assert her rights."

Itawamba County is a rural area of about 23,000 people in north Mississippi near the Alabama state line. It's near Pontotoc County, Miss., where more than a decade ago school officials were sued in federal court over their practice of student-led intercom prayer and Bible classes.

Anna Watson, a 17-year-old junior at the high school, was looking forward to the prom, especially since the town's only hotspot is the bowling alley, she said.

"I am a little bummed out about it. I guess it's a decision that had to be made. Either way someone was going to get disappointed — either Constance was or we were," Watson said. "I don't agree with homosexuality, but I can't change what another person thinks or does."

Other students are on McMillen's side.

McKenzie Chaney, 16, said she wasn't planning to attend the prom, but "it's kind of ridiculous that they can't let her wear the tuxedo and it all be over with."

A Feb. 5 memo to students laid out the criteria for bringing a date to the prom, and one requirement was that the person must be of the opposite sex.

The ACLU said McMillen approached school officials shortly before the memo went out because she knew same-sex dates had been banned in the past. The ACLU said district officials told McMillen she and her girlfriend wouldn't be allowed to arrive together, that she would not be allowed to wear a tuxedo, and that she and her girlfriend might be asked to leave if their presence made any other students "uncomfortable."

McMillen said she feared she would be thrown out of the prom because "we do live in the Bible Belt."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100311/...lzc3NjaG9vbHBy

The Itawamba County school district's board decided Wednesday to drop the prom because of what it called recent distractions but without specifically mentioning the girl's request, which was backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The girl KNEW this would cause problems ... if she made sure to get the backing of the ACLU to back her BEFORE she made the request. I went to a Catholic High School in the 80's - we had several girls who wore tuxes to the Spring Formal ( this was in the days of "Flashdance" when Bealls made it looks so hot ) and we also had several that always came "stag"

By bringing in the ACLU to "force" the school board to comply - under threat of a lawsuit no doubt - they brought this about. What about all the other students who would have been made uncomfortable versus the two who were unhappy.

"The needs of the many versus the needs of the few."

9,582 Comments

It's sad that the school has to interfere with the personal lives of the students. Now the student body will blame the homosexual couple for ruining the prom for everyone else.

Bravo to the school board for taking a stand against homosexuality and doing what is right. Enough is enough. It would have been better if the lesbos stayed out of the prom and let everyone else enjoy it, but no, they had to get the ACLU involved to push their queer agenda at everyone else's expense. Blame them and not the school board.

I am sick to death of these "special individuals", with "special needs" keep ruining it for the rest of us

Whether or not you approve of the behavior the homosexual couple DID ruin the prom for everyone else. Making a stand is fine until innocent people are harmed and in this case that's what happened.

This young lady should step aside and withdraw her lawsuit. It would show her classmates that she cares about them and it would further her cause more then anything else she could do at this point!

Because when it comes to personal relationships, government knows best!

It's sad that one person can ruin it for everyone. A minority of one telling a majority what can and can not be done. Like prayer before a sporting event - one complains and it's no longer allowed. Thank you ACLU (Americans Criminals Lovers Unions) for destroying this great nation.

So typical, it is either the Bible Thumping CON way or nothing at all. Who does it hurt? The kids. Their generation is far more tolerant than ours or the one before us.

Wow some pretty harsh and homophobic comments here! It's pretty pathetic that they couldn't just allow the two girls to go to prom and why would you blame then for canceling prom, they wanted to go. It was the bassakwards school district who decided in was in THEIR best interest to cancel prom. These girls have a whole world full of jerks to face who will ridicule their beliefs so why let them feel it as teens. And to say special needs individuals ruin it for the healthy minded law abiding individuals is PATHETIC and you obviously do not have a "healthy mind".

In other words, "We'd rather dig in, be bigoted, and ruin it for everyone before we'd let people live their own lives in a way we don't approve of."

Next they'll be testing for virgins. Just you wait![/b]

How is the sexual orientation of students the business of a public school? Where do they get the idea that they can make any kind of decision about such a thing? I'm married and have children, but I still can't understand how this matter is any business of the school at all. Control freaks. I'm amazed at the hateful stuff posted here. Why is it anyone else's business?

Lesbian teen back at Miss. school after prom flap
Shelia Byrd, Associated Press Writer – 19 mins ago

JACKSON, Miss. – An 18-year-old Mississippi lesbian student whose school district canceled her senior prom rather than allow her to escort her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo said she got some unfriendly looks from classmates when she reluctantly returned to campus Thursday.

Constance McMillen said she didn't want to go back the day after the Itawamba County school board's decision, but her father told her she needed to face her classmates, teachers and school officials. "My daddy told me that I needed to show them that I'm still proud of who I am," McMillen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "The fact that this will help people later on, that's what's helping me to go on."

The district announced Wednesday it wouldn't host the April 2 prom. The decision came after the American Civil Liberties Union told officials a policy banning same-sex prom dates violated students' rights. The ACLU said the district not letting McMillen wear a tuxedo violated her free expression rights.

McMillen said she felt some hostility toward her on the Itawamba County Agricultural High School campus. "Somebody said, 'Thanks for ruining my senior year.'" McMillen said.

The school board issued a statement announcing it wouldn't host the event in Fulton, "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events."

The statement didn't mention McMillen or the ACLU. When asked by the AP if McMillen's demand led to the cancellation, school board attorney Michele Floyd said she could only reference the statement. "I guess they would rather do that than what's right, what's constitutionally correct," McMillen said.

Same-sex prom dates and cross-dressing are new issues for many high schools around the country, said Daryl Presgraves, a spokesman for GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a Washington-based advocacy group. "A lot of schools actually react rather than do the research and find out what the rights of these students are," said Presgraves, who was preparing to facilitate a discussion about anti-gay bullying at a National Association of Secondary School Principals meeting.

The school district had said it hoped a privately sponsored prom could be held. McMillen said if that happens, she's sure she'll be excluded. "It's a small town in Mississippi, and it's run by an older generation with money. Most of them are more conservative and they don't agree with it," she said.

Fulton Mayor Paul Walker said he supports the school district's decision and knew of no private efforts to host the prom. "I think the community as a whole is probably in support of the school district," Walker said of the town of about 4,000.

Itawamba County is a rural area of about 23,000 people in north Mississippi near the Alabama state line. It's near Pontotoc County, Miss., where more than a decade ago school officials were sued in federal court over their practice of student-led intercom prayer and Bible classes.

A couple of students had different reactions to the decision.

Anna Watson, a 17-year-old junior at the high school, was looking forward to the prom, especially since the town's only hotspot is the bowling alley, she said. "I am a little bummed out about it. I guess it's a decision that had to be made. Either way someone was going to get disappointed — either Constance was or we were," Watson said. "I don't agree with homosexuality, but I can't change what another person thinks or does."

McKenzie Chaney, 16, said she wasn't planning to attend the prom, but "it's kind of ridiculous that they can't let her wear the tuxedo and it all be over with."

A Feb. 5 memo to students laid out the criteria for bringing a date to the prom, and one requirement was that the person must be of the opposite sex.

Presgraves said his organization hears about school districts that prohibit same-sex prom dates and gay-straight alliance clubs at schools. He said those kind of policies are detrimental to gay students. "It sends a message that these students shouldn't be treated the same," Presgraves said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100311/...JpYW50ZWVuYg--

Update : The ACLU filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oxford to force the school district to sponsor the prom and allow McMillen to bring whom she chooses and wear what she wants.

District officials didn't returned numerous calls left by The Associated Press seeking comment on Thursday.

McMillen said she never expected the district to respond the way it did.

"A lot of people said that was going to happen, but I said, they had already spent too much money on the prom" to cancel it, she said. "I'm just trying to get done what I originally wanted done. Now, we're having to fight just to have a prom."

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., said a bill he's introduced in Congress would protect students such as McMillen. Polis said the measure would make it illegal to discriminate against gay and lesbian school students. He said his bill is modeled after similar laws in at least 10 states.

"This situation with the prom is a perfect example of why we need to protect students from discrimination. In this case it's a prom. It other cases, it's getting beaten up or killed," Polis said.

Polis said he was "dismayed" by the school board's action. "They ruined the prom, not only for this young woman, but for all of the straight kids at the school," he said.

"This situation with the prom is a perfect example of why we need to protect students from discrimination. In this case it's a prom. It other cases, it's getting beaten up or killed," Polis said.

I really don't think canceling the Prom is nearly the same as being jumped, beaten, or killed....


Basicly ... they started a storm in motion, and planned to sue one way or another.


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Comments

It's sad that one person can ruin it for everyone. A minority of one telling a majority what can and can not be done. Like prayer before a sporting event - one complains and it's no longer allowed. Thank you ACLU for destroying this great nation.

ok, i have to say... yes MANY young GAY kids have been ridicueled, made fun of, and even crucified because of them being gay. and also MANY young people have been killed and tourtured because of being gay.

to be honest, i dont see the big deal about going to the prom with your girlfriend. why did you make such a fuss??? if you just went, and had fun, i'm sure there would have been much less press for your situation.

i have many gay friends. she just seems like she was ready for a fight.
My opinion only!!

Hearing set in lesbian teen's suit to force prom
Shelia Byrd, Associated Press Writer – Tue Mar 16, 7:35 pm ET[/i]

JACKSON, Miss. – School officials in a rural Mississippi county told a lesbian student to get "guys" to take her and her girlfriend to a high school prom and warned the girls against slow dancing with each other because that could "push people's buttons," according to documents filed Tuesday in federal court.

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Itawamba County School District and some officials at Itawamba Agricultural High School on behalf of Constance McMillen, 18, who wanted to escort her girlfriend to the prom and wear a tuxedo. A hearing is scheduled for Monday to hear an ACLU motion that seeks to force the district to hold the April 2 prom it canceled after McMillen made her requests.

In the court documents, McMillen said Rick Mitchell, the assistant principal at the school, told her she could not attend the prom with her girlfriend but they could go with "guys." Superintendent Teresa McNeece told the teen that the girls should attend the prom separately, had to wear dresses and couldn't slow dance with each other because that could "push people's buttons," according to court documents.

The school district last week said it wouldn't host the prom "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events." District officials said they hoped private citizens would sponsor a dance. The decision came on the same day the ACLU asked the district to act on McMillen's prom requests.

McMillen said she approached school officials weeks ago about wanting to take her girlfriend to the prom. "I want my prom experience to be the same as all of the other students, a night to remember with the person I'm dating," McMillen said.

The district, located in northern Mississippi near the Alabama state line, prohibits same-sex dates at the prom. The ACLU has said that violates the rights of gay and lesbian students.

The school district had not responded to the ACLU filing by Tuesday afternoon.

Christine Sun, a senior counsel with the ACLU's national gay rights project, said the organization is determined to put the prom back on the school calendar.

Fulton Mayor Paul Walker said he has heard that parents are making plans for a private dance but he didn't know the details. It's unclear if gay couples would be welcome at that event.

The ACLU has taken on similar cases in recent months.

In October, the ACLU sent a demand letter to the school district in Copiah County, Miss., after officials refused to let 17-year-old Ceara Sturgis be photographed in a tuxedo for the yearbook. The district stood by its decision and the ACLU said it is still considering litigation.

In November, officials at Tharptown High School in Franklin County, Ala., reversed an earlier decision to bar a lesbian from attending the prom with a female date. After the ACLU issued a demand letter, the decision was reversed, said Gary Smith, superintendent of Franklin County Schools. "The ACLU told us we were infringing on her rights as a student. In view of that, we had to let her bring her," Smith recently said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100316/...JpbmdzZXRpbg--

51,246 Comments

Originally Posted by mystery

Its sad that personal lives have to interfere with the educational system.

We should cater to the majority, because in reality, we want to do what is right by most people. However, why would she want to associate with those who don't accept her. She should move on with her life, be comfortable with who she is, and find others with her same interests. What she does in private is her business. But she shouldnt force her minority views on the rest of the school.

Originally Posted by MG05

Since when do high school students have the "right" to exercise their "sexuality" anyway? Aren't they underage for any of this activity, and isn't promoting it just asking for more morality problems, like we don't have enough of that anyway?

Originally Posted by KAiT

"Push peoples buttons"?

What, are they 5 yearsold? Look away if you don't want to see it. People are too damn sensitive in this country. Who cares if she has a girlfriend or a boyfriend? What difference is it going to make in the case of you having fun at prom. Maybe some gay people don't wanna watch the straight kids grind and make out all over the dancefloor, but they don't make a huge fuss about it.

And it's not really her fault they canceled the prom. The school didn't have to take it that far. It's ridiculous. You don't "punish" the whole school for one person. They could have just told her she can't go and let the prom go on. Either way, it's wrong, but whatever...

One ... some of the "freaky dancing" I have seen is pretty bad and would offend plenty

Two ... the plan seems to have been to provoke a lawsuit all along

Originally Posted by mike

All school districts are required to make sure all students are safe out any school function. If they decided to allow this prom and someone gets hurt these people would be quick to sue the school district. By not having it they are looking out for "all" of the students and not just the gay ones. If they want to have a "prom" that does not involve the school in anyway then let them. A school district does not have to provide a prom if there is any chance that the safety of any student might be jeopardized

This is so bogus. We teach our kids not to pass judgement and look at what the adults are doing! Gay or straight she should take whomever she want to the prom. When my friends date backed out on her junior prom- we went together. I am not gay, however she is. I would have b**** slapped someone if they told us we couldn't attend because we were the same sex. And as far as them not hosting because due to the distractions to the educational process .. when I was in school girls dressed half naked with thongs showing etc.....now if that's distractions to the educational process what the heck is.

Ellen, Web site give gay teen $30,000 in prom flap
Fri Mar 19, 6:21 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and an inspirational Web site on Friday gave $30,000 toward the college education of a teenage lesbian whose high school prom was canceled when she asked to attend with a girl.

Constance McMillen, 18, of Itawamba County, Mississippi, appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to talk about her experience and at the end of the segment DeGeneres, who is a lesbian, presented her with the check from the Web site, Tonic. (http://www.tonic.com)

McMillen's story made headlines earlier this month when the Itawamba County school board canceled the high school dance that for many students is a high point of their year.

Back in December, McMillen had asked school officials if she could attend with her girlfriend, and at first they said "no." Later, they changed their position and said the two could go, but not together, nor could they dance or hold hands. "We could go, but not like as a date," McMillen told DeGeneres. "I was like, I'm not going to go to prom and pretend like I'm not gay, so there's no point in me going."

The prom remains canceled, and the American Civil Liberties Union has sued the school on McMillen's behalf. McMillen told DeGeneres other kids from her school are angry and blame her for the canceled dance. DeGeneres countered that she thought the 18-year-old was "brave" for speaking out.

"It's always easy to be quiet, especially when you know somebody might tell you 'no' or it's going to cause a scene," said DeGeneres, who is also a judge on "American Idol."

Tonic describes itself on its Web site as being "dedicated to promoting the good that happens each day around the world."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100319/us_nm/us_ellen

I don't know. I wouldn't have asked, personally. My little cousin went through an experimenting period and went w/ her then girlfriend to their classes formal. They had a great time and no one said a thing.

I do think she came out of the gate expecting a fight... but it's a fight that should be fought.

Judge hears lesbian teen's suit to force prom
Shelia Byrd, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 55 mins ago

ABERDEEN, Miss. – Mississippi officials who canceled a prom after a lesbian student asked to bring her girlfriend told a federal judge Monday that there were issues with the event even before that.

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing in U.S. District Court to force the Itawamba County school district to sponsor the prom and allow Constance McMillen to escort her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.

Schools Superintendent Teresa McNeece and school board Chairman Eddie Hood testified that they had discussed not sponsoring the prom even before McMillen challenged a rule that prohibits same-sex dates. They said they had concerns about liability problems, including possible use of alcohol and drugs at a school-sponsored event.

But they also said they decided to call off the April 2 prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School because McMillen's challenge to the rules had caused disruptions. "We were being hounded every day. Our students were being hounded," McNeece said. "We were having a tough time of any bell-to-bell instruction."

On cross-examination, school officials did not give specific examples of classroom disruptions.

McMillen first approached school officials about bringing her girlfriend in December, and again shortly before a Feb. 5 memo about prom rules was circulated to students. Same-sex prom dates had been banned in the past, but she had hoped school officials would grant her request.

She was told two girls could not attend the prom together and she would not be allowed to wear a tuxedo. The ACLU issued a letter earlier this month demanding that she be allowed to bring her girlfriend and wear what she wanted.

District officials responded by canceling the event, saying they felt it was the best decision "after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students."

ACLU attorney Kristy Bennett said in court Monday that the district violated McMillen's First Amendment rights and that it was the decision to cancel the prom — not McMillen's request to bring her girlfriend — that caused the disruptions school officials described. "Any disruption came after the actual cancellation of the prom," Bennett said.

In closing arguments, Bennett said the district "shouldn't be able to censor Ms. McMillen's speech simply by canceling the prom."

Ben Griffith, an attorney representing the school district, said holding or attending a prom is not a constitutional right. District officials "took a step they considered to be necessary," he said.

McMillen testified the district's decision led to hostility toward her on campus. She said she left school early the day after the district's decision and didn't go at all the next day. "There were so many dirty looks," McMillen said. "A lot of people didn't like me very much."

The 715-student high school is located in Fulton, a town of about 4,000 in rural north Mississippi. The entire county school district has 3,588 students.

Principal Trae Wiygul said he had been "bombarded" with e-mails, most from people criticizing the district's decision. "I've been called every name known to man," Wiygul said. "I've been called a bigot and homophobic."

U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson, who is hearing the case, did not say when he would rule, but said he wants to do it quickly because "time is of the essence."

Parents are now organizing a prom. School officials said it is open to the public, but McMillen said she had not been told about it.

The ACLU and gay rights groups have raised private funds for a May 8 prom in Tupelo that's open to everyone but geared toward gay students. Bennett said planning for the "second-chance" prom was underway before McMillen's case began, but "the outpouring for Constance enables this to be a much bigger event."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_lesbia...dlaGVhcnNsZQ--


It seems that it was an excuse to push the ACLU's agenda and to file a law$uit ...