US school cancels prom 'over lesbian date'

Man In Room 5 · 03-12-2010, 06:42 AM

Saw this on Albert Mond's Facebook. I don't even know where to start with this. It recalls every stereotype about the American South.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8563122.stm

ape descendant · 03-12-2010, 08:18 AM

Yeah, I read about that myself, this morning. It really saddens me when people are such assholes, that they cancel a dance just because a student wants to attend it with some one that the school board doesn't approve of.

Whats next, does the school board get to start picking student's dates for them specifically?

I've had it up past my eyeballs with all the fucking homophobes, wanting to exclude people from the GBLT community just because they're a little uncomfortable. Telling people who they can and can't date, marry, have children with, or have sex with. Ergh!!

To top it all off most of this homophobia and inequality is fuelled by religion... freaking fundies think that since their book of bronze age fairy tales has a passage in it that seems to hint that homosexuality is unacceptable to their sky daddy, that no one else is allowed to live their own lives as they see fit.

Its like it never stops. /rant

Saya · 03-12-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Man In Room 5

I don't even know where to start with this. It recalls every stereotype about the American South.

I don't know where to start either.

the-nihilist · 03-12-2010, 09:25 PM

Why bother starting? It won't amount to anything.

PortraitOfSanity · 03-12-2010, 09:36 PM

I'd cross Mississippi off my list of places to visit before I die, but... it's already crossed out.

the-nihilist · 03-12-2010, 10:00 PM

It shouldn't have even entered your mind.

Renatus · 03-12-2010, 10:01 PM

Mississippi isn't all bad, about an hour or so ago I saw a little thing about the civil rights movement. In it Morgan Freeman talked about how, despite the overt racism that has existed in the south, it isn't as bad as the hidden racist feelings in the north, which hurt alot more(which is why he has chosen to live out the rest of his life in Mississippi). I bet the same could be said about the overt homophobia in the south compared to the covert homophobia in other places.

the-nihilist · 03-12-2010, 10:07 PM

Yeah, the racism and bigotry stereotype is exaggerated, especially when it comes to the Gulf Coast, although most of the fodder for stereotypes come from northern Mississippi.

My biggest problem with Mississippi is the climate and the fact that there is really nothing to do here. The majority of the populace seems to be old people and morbidly obese people, or a combination of the two.

the-nihilist · 03-12-2010, 10:15 PM

Not to mention Mississippi is like Moore's law applied to humans in reverse. Every year the average IQ drops 50%.

Saya · 03-12-2010, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renatus

Mississippi isn't all bad, about an hour or so ago I saw a little thing about the civil rights movement. In it Morgan Freeman talked about how, despite the overt racism that has existed in the south, it isn't as bad as the hidden racist feelings in the north, which hurt alot more(which is why he has chosen to live out the rest of his life in Mississippi). I bet the same could be said about the overt homophobia in the south compared to the covert homophobia in other places.

Speaking of Freeman, remember how two years ago he paid for the very first interracial prom in Charleston? After giving out that offer in 1997?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=91371629

So, not so surprising?

Renatus · 03-13-2010, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saya

Speaking of Freeman, remember how two years ago he paid for the very first interracial prom in Charleston? After giving out that offer in 1997?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=91371629

So, not so surprising?

Could you explain what you mean by not so suprising?

Also I must be getting tired, because the first times I read your first sentence I read interacial PORN rathern than interacial PROM. Heh*chews on cookie to stay awake*

Saya · 03-13-2010, 03:00 AM

Well I'm honestly very surprised, I came from a pretty conservative tiny town but I was allowed to go to my grad with a girl and no one gave me any shit for it. But if its coming from a state where some schools still have racially segregated proms, its not that surprising I guess.

Mariner · 03-13-2010, 06:20 PM

Wow...so glad I live in Pennsylvania. At the high school I attended no one thought twice about gay and lesbian students.

Ben Lahnger · 03-13-2010, 07:19 PM

I've been following Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend to Prom! on Facebook for a couple of days ... even wrote her a word of support on the page the ACLU provided for that purpose ... told her I thought she would rock a tuxedo.

Anyway, in the last couple of days Constance and her attorney have been featured on the CBS Morning Show, CNN Headline News and tonight she's appearing on the Wanda Sykes show (got the DVR set to record it in an hour or so.)

I don't know if the school officials will bow to all the public scrutiny (after all, this is Mississippi we're talking about; they still haven't ratified the 13th amendment ... you know, the one abolishing slavery?) But I do know they're starting to feel the heat. I also feel bad for them because a lot of the most zealous supporters have put the school superintendent's email address, phone and fax numbers on the internet, and they're encouraging people to send some of the worst kind of hate mail.

There's also been a rumor swirling about some entity with a little money that is interested in financing a private prom at a public venue where everyone from the high school would be allowed to attend, regardless of dress or date. I think Candace and her ACLU lawyers want to make a point, but I see this as a perfectly viable fix.

Renatus · 03-13-2010, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

(after all, this is Mississippi we're talking about; they still haven't ratified the 13th amendment ... you know, the one abolishing slavery?)

Actually they finally ratified it in 1995, 130 years, and I thought the Wisconsin State Legislature was slow.

Ben Lahnger · 03-13-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renatus

Actually they finally ratified it in 1995, 130 years, and I thought the Wisconsin State Legislature was slow.

Thank you for the timely correction. I needed to know. It's still a good indicator of where their priorities lie.

Saya · 03-20-2010, 11:52 AM

Some good news, Ellen gave her a 30k scholarship!

Ben Lahnger · 03-20-2010, 12:57 PM

Ellen also presented her a summer internship with Tonic.com (the suppliers of the scholarship) as a reward for standing up for everyone's civil rights.

I watched Constance on Ellen and on the Wanda Sykes show. What a remarkably poised young lady. I was very please to see Wanda invite Constance to the GLAAD Media Awards in LA on April 17th. Wanda said Constance should bring her date AND wear her tuxedo. Constance will present the Stephen F. Kolzak award to honor Wanda. I would love to be there to hear Constance's speech:

"Hi, my name's Constance. Perhaps you've heard of me? (pause for laughter) How do you like my tux?"

LOL!

Ben Lahnger · 03-24-2010, 06:10 AM

Court Rules That Mississippi School Violated First Amendment Rights Of Lesbian Student

March 23, 2010

Alternative MSSC Prom Open To All Students Will Be Held May 8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

ABERDEEN, MS – A Mississippi federal court today ruled that school officials violated a lesbian student’s First Amendment rights when it canceled the high school prom rather than let the student attend with her girlfriend. The U.S. Court for the Northern District of Mississippi stopped short of ordering Itawamba Agricultural High School to put the school prom back on the calendar because of assurances that an alternative “private” prom being planned by parents would be open to all students. The American Civil Liberties Union had requested a preliminary injunction stopping the Itawamba County School District from canceling the prom and from prohibiting Constance McMillen from bringing her girlfriend as a date and wearing a tuxedo to the event.

“It feels really good that the court realized that the school was violating my rights and discriminating against me by canceling the prom. All I ever wanted was for my school to treat me and my girlfriend like any other couple that wants to go to prom,” said McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, Mississippi. “Now we can all get back to things like picking out our prom night outfits and thinking about corsages.”

In the 12-page ruling, the court wrote, “The record shows Constance has been openly gay since eighth grade and she intended to communicate a message by wearing a tuxedo and to express her identity through attending prom with a same-sex date. The Court finds this expression and communication of her viewpoint is the type of speech that falls squarely within the purview of the First Amendment. The Court is also of the opinion that the motive behind the School Board's cancellation of the prom, or withdrawal of their sponsorship, was Constance’s requests and the ACLU’s demand letter sent on her behalf.” Further, the court says that since the school represented the private prom being organized by parents at a furniture store as open to all students, then the court expects that event will indeed invite McMillen and her girlfriend.

McMillen said that she plans to attend the “private” prom, but has also long planned to attend the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition’s Second Chance Prom, to be held Saturday, May 8 in Tupelo. That event, sponsored by Green Day, Tonic.com, Iron Chef Cat Cora, and Lance Bass, among others, will be open to all LGBT students in the state, as well as straight students who are LGBT-supportive. The MSSC and the ACLU deal every year with complaints from LGBT students all over Mississippi who face resistance from their schools about bringing same-sex dates to proms or who don’t feel safe going to their own school proms.

“Today’s ruling isn’t just a win for Constance and her girlfriend – it’s a win for all the students at her school, and for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students who just want to be able to be themselves at school without being treated unfairly,” said Kristy Bennett, Legal Director of the ACLU of Mississippi. “Public schools can’t just stomp on students’ free expression rights just because they don't want to deal with these students, and if schools do try to do that they’ll be dealing with us.”

“We are grateful and happy that IAHS’s attempt to cancel the prom has been seen for the thinly-veiled ruse to violate Constance McMillen’s First Amendment rights that we always knew it was,” said Christine P. Sun, Senior Counsel with the ACLU national LGBT Project, who represents McMillen along with the ACLU of Mississippi. “These school officials should be ashamed of themselves for trying to scapegoat a young girl and then trying to lay the blame for their bad behavior at her feet.”

McMillen’s case attracted national attention and dozens of offers to host or help fund an alternative independent prom from around the country after school officials announced they were canceling the IAHS prom. The school board canceled IAHS’ prom shortly after the ACLU and the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition demanded that the district reverse its decision to prohibit McMillen from attending the prom with her girlfriend, also a student at IAHS. According to McMillen, school officials told her that she could not arrive at the prom with her girlfriend and that they might be thrown out if any other students complained about their presence at the April 2 event. Since McMillen’s case was filed, a Facebook page set up for her case has attracted over 400,000 supporters to date.

McMillen is represented by Bennett and Sun, as well as by Norman C. Simon and Joshua Glick of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, and Alysson Mills of New Orleans.

The case name is Constance McMillen v. Itawamba County School District, et al. Additional information is available at http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/fult...discrimination. There is also a Facebook group for people who want to support McMillen, “Let Constance Bring Her Girlfriend to the Prom,” at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Let-Co...m/357686784817.

The Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition was formed in the fall of 2008 to address discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, or students perceived to be LGBT, in Mississippi public schools and colleges. The MSSC works closely with the ACLU of Mississippi to educate teachers, students, and administrators about the rights of LGBT students with the aim of making schools safer for all. The MSSC is youth-led, and any questions about student rights at prom, starting a gay-straight alliance club, or any other safe schools issues can be directed to Ashley Jackson, facilitator, at ashley@mssafeschools.org. More information about MSSC and the Second Chance Prom can be found at the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition website at http://mssafeschools.org/.

Well, while the court didn't require the ICSD to reverse their decision about cancelling prom, this is definitely a win. Good for Constance! And good job by the ACLU and the lawyers working on Constance's behalf!

Now lets see if the private prom organizers do something to try to block her from attending. - Ben

Doppleganger2 · 03-24-2010, 06:30 AM

Some dumb bitch gets 30K for taking Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl to heart? Lol

Underwater Ophelia · 03-24-2010, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ape descendant

Yeah, I read about that myself, this morning. It really saddens me when people are such assholes, that they cancel a dance just because a student wants to attend it with some one that the school board doesn't approve of.

Whats next, does the school board get to start picking student's dates for them specifically?

I've had it up past my eyeballs with all the fucking homophobes, wanting to exclude people from the GBLT community just because they're a little uncomfortable. Telling people who they can and can't date, marry, have children with, or have sex with. Ergh!!

To top it all off most of this homophobia and inequality is fuelled by religion... freaking fundies think that since their book of bronze age fairy tales has a passage in it that seems to hint that homosexuality is unacceptable to their sky daddy, that no one else is allowed to live their own lives as they see fit.

Its like it never stops. /rant

How is you being an asshole about religion helping?

vindicatedxjin · 03-24-2010, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

How is you being an asshole about religion helping?

It's a good excuse and face to put the blame on. Religion always is when it comes to homosexuality amongst other things. When I honestly feel it's merely fear from they're own suppressed feelings...not meaning that they might have sexual confusion. But that they just can't deal with the fact that it is indeed 'normal'. But yea ophelias right. It does absolutely no good to blame religion...and people who use it as an excuse are ignorant.

Tam Li Hua · 03-24-2010, 07:32 AM

I'm glad that Constance and her date won. Legally, the school should not have even attempted to stop them, regardless of personal viewpoints.

Then again, because of hostility, maybe they thought they were protecting the girls..?

Also, I agree with Ophie. There are a LOT of Christians who are involved in the GLBT community, either as supporters or as actual members, so I don't believe it's religion so much as culture that was in play here.

Besides that, there are plenty of non-christians and non-religious people who are uncomfortable with GLBT's. It's not common, granted, but it is out there.

Underwater Ophelia · 03-24-2010, 07:40 AM

I don't have a problem with blaming religion. I have a problem with openly mocking it and then bitching when people have a problem with you.

Underwater Ophelia · 03-24-2010, 07:42 AM

And I don't know what ape descendant believes in. Probably Atheist. I see a lot of pagans doing this kind of bullshit, though, and I wonder if they actually believe that paganism is any more sane than any other belief.