A northern Mississippi school district has canceled their prom after Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior and lesbian student, wanted to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.
According to The Associated Press, the Itawamba County school district’s board decided Wednesday to cancel the event “due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events.” The statement didn’t mention McMillen or the American Civil Liberties Union, which backed McMillen’s request, but what other “distractions” could there be?
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.
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 McMillen from bringing a female date violated McMillen’s constitutional rights.
District officials said they hope “private citizens will organize an event” instead. 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.”
I remember how much I looked forward to prom in high school. I hope Constance and her girlfriend get to have their dance!
Very sad. Considering the principal & his assistant are gay.
http://transboutique.com/index.php?topic=topic_education
This decision by these backwards bible-thumping idiots of the school board is outrageous. It is so sad that our country is still so slow to recognize basic human rights and liberties of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. This decision could lead to further hate of gays and lesbians, especially at her high school. I think she is very brave to stand up to the school though.