Itawamba High School Cancelled Prom Because Lesbian's Wanted to go!
A Mississippi school has cancelled it April 2nd prom because a lesbian student wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date, it was announced yesterday.
Last month Itawamba County Agricultural High School told an 18 year old student, Constance McMillen that she could not attend the prom with her girlfriend, whose also student, they also told her, she could not wear a a tuxedo. The school then sent out a memo saying no same sex couples would be allowed at the prom, it was against the rules.
McMillen then quite rightly took her case to the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, and they called on the school to reverse their decision and allow McMillen and her girlfriend to attend.
In response the school board issued the following statement. "Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events, the Itawamba County School District has decided to not host a prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School this year. It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors."
Christine Sun, the ACLU's senior attorney on gay rights said previously the ban on same sex dates at the prom violates McMillen's constitutional rights. "The school just can't arbitrarily say you have to be an opposite-sex date to go to the prom,"
Kristy Bennett, ACLU legal director said the district was trying to avoid the issue by cancelling the prom at short notice. "
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 roughly 23,000 people in north Mississippi near state line with Alabama, part of the bible belt.
Miss McMillen reportedly said the following to the local newspaper when they told her the news the school board had cancelled the prom "Oh, my God. That's really messed up because the message they are sending is that if they have to let gay people go to prom that they are not going to have one. A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this. - I'm going to have to change schools or something."
There is no word yet from McMillen or the ACLU on any possible legal proceedings, or what the next move will be. She may not have got to go to the prom with her girlfriend, but Miss McMillen has already shown incredible spirit and courage in standing up for her rights and for the rights of gay students everywhere.
Posted by Jason Shaw
Jason's own blog The Seafront Diaries can be found here, full of stories and tales of eccentric English life by the seaside!
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