news
The demand comes on behalf of Constance McMillen, a senior at Itawamba Agricultural High School, who was told by school officials that she could not attend the April 2 prom with her girlfriend, also a student at the school. She was also told she could not wear a tuxedo to the dance.
"I think prom is another high school experience that is important," McMillen said. "I don't think it is something you should miss because you are gay.
"I'm not looking for trouble, and I'm not looking for a bunch of publicity. I just want to go to prom and be myself and be happy and not be kicked out because I'm slow dancing with a girl or wearing a tux."
The ACLU sent a letter to the school district giving it until March 10 to respond or face the possibility of a lawsuit.
Kristy Bennett, legal director of the ACLU of Mississippi, said the organization wants the district to eliminate its policy prohibiting same-sex couples from attending the prom and to allow students to "dress as they deem appropriate and not be gender specific."
"We think that prom is very important in a high school student's career, and it is something they should be able to attend with the date of their choice," Bennett said.
District Superintendent Teresa McNeece and school board attorney Michele Floyd did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
The letter cites past court cases and constitutional amendments that it says give students the right to bring a same-sex date to prom and to wear clothing that isn't gender specific.
McMillen was told that she and her girlfriend would not be allowed to arrive together at the prom and that they might be thrown out "if their presence made any other students 'uncomfortable,'" according to a release sent by the ACLU of Mississippi.
The letter was also sent to IAHS Principal Trae Wiygul. It was also signed by representatives of the ACLU national Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project and the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition.
The safe schools coalition was formed in the fall of 2008 to deal with discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in Mississippi public schools and colleges.
Contact Chris Kieffer at (662) 678-1590 or chris.kieffer@djournal.com.
Take away their FEDERAL MONEY-
They are discriminating against gays and lesbians- They should not receive any more State and Federal money. Simple as that. Why isn't the government involved in this? Put this on Facebook and every other media outlet there is-This is the year 2010 and I am not even gay or lesvian, but they have the same rights-just like any other race-
I'm normal.
Call me a homophobe, a gay-basher, whatever you like, but homosexuality is disgusting, immoral, and just plain wrong. How do I know this? Because men and women fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, while men and men or women and women don't. You're not supposed to force a square peg through a round hole, folks.
Everyone just quit murdering people and being homosexual before the world finishes the path to hell that it's already on.
When I returned here, I found a place that had progressed very little from when I left it 25 years ago. It's really quite sad.
Maybe one day the people of Mississippi will wake up and decide that you're tired of being last in everything and of being viewed by most of the rest of the world as backwards, bigoted rednecks and actually do something about it.
But in order to do that, you'd have to be open minded and accepting of the lifestyles of others that are different from yours.
In other words, you'd actually have to live the whole "judge not, lest ye be judged" thing that you're supposedly taught in church.
I'd be willing to bet that most of us has our hands full just trying to live our own lives without trying to tell others how to live theirs.
Maybe the next generation will decide to do something about the bigotry that still exists here. Maybe then they can turn Mississippi into something more than a punch line in a redneck joke.
I have hope that they will. I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the students that will be attending this prom could care less if this girl dresses in a tuxedo and brings her girlfriend as her date.
We have a beautiful state, and there are some really wonderful, non-judgmental people here, unfortunately today they seem to still be in the minority.
But, I am hopeful, if not confident, for the future of Mississippi. I just hope I live long enough to see it.
what are the students thoughts? im sure they dont care. if these two girls are both students there then it it already a known fact they are a couple and they atmosphere for them must be fine or they would not want to attend prom together. the student body most likely has already accepted them.
second...they they have not accepted them what about the girls safety? its prom! dont be naive and think drinking will not be going on....will these two be protected from the "good ole boys" when they go too far with jokes?
also...girls can be very cruel in high school. Can this couple withstand the cruelty that can be dished out?
i know both my thoughts are on both sides of the line here but i always try to see both sides.
The Bible is clear on homosexuality and that is that. It also deals with all other forms of sin and that is that. If you don't believe it, you will answer for your own actions and deeds. Still, I will pray for those that don't even want it nor appreciate it. I think God would want it that way....
How is a prom different than subsequent class reunion?
I do not remember anyone being "shocked" or "demoralized" by having a mature woman in her 40's being who she really was intended to be.
I think it is correct for the ACLU to petition the school on behalf of the girl who would want to celebrate prom as herself.
As for those who object - they should object, and if that right is refused them - the ACLU will petition whoever on their behalf.
That is what many parents did in the late 60s when public schools ended segregation. Guess we should make homosexuals ware blue hats too. With that said I hope the school changes their minds or they end up losing in court, which I think they would.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "
Hmmmmm, wonder where this came from?
And for those of you all up in arms about the word "demand", it's a legal term as in "demand letter."
A "demand letter" is usually the first step in the legal process.
thanks for your time.
But then, those of you who have a problem with this girl taking her girlfriend to the prom probably also have a problem with "race mixing" and are really no different than those toothless geniuses that we see "preaching" the "virtues" of the aryan nation.
Bigotry is bigotry and those of you against this girl taking her girlfriend to the prom are bigots, period.
But then, you probably haven't ever been outside of Mississippi in the "real world" and just don't know any better, huh?
I too was once like you and disliked gay and lesbian people. Thankfully I was never a racist and I escaped from Mississippi for 25 years and saw the rest of the world and discovered that people are not all the same and that the diversity of people is what makes us all a better, stronger society.
So, go ahead, give walking upright a try! It's better, I promise.