Constance McMillen - recognize that name?
She is the teenage lesbian who gained international headlines after her school wouldn't let her bring her girlfriend to the prom and then held a fake prom so she couldn't go to the real one, has settled a deal with the school board!
Constance McMillen was the girl, she sued the school board and this week it's bee announced that she's accepted an offer to settle the case. American Civil Liberties Union attorneys representing Constance McMillen filed notice Monday in U.S. District Court to accept a judgment offer from the Itawamba County School District to pay $35,000, plus fees. Whilst the money is a good on a personal level for Constance, the greatest part of the agreement is that the school district have had to agree that it would follow a policy not to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in any educational or extracurricular activities, in the future.
Earlier today the ACLU made a statement saying the case is precedent-setting because the district is the first in Mississippi to implement a policy banning discrimination and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
"I'm so glad this is all over," said Constance McMillen in a statement earlier today, Tuesday. "I won't ever get my prom back, but it's worth if it changes things at my school."
"I hope this means that in the future students at my school will be treated fairly," McMillen said.
McMillen eventually transferred from IAHS to a school in Jackson, in part to get away from the prejudice and harassment that surrounded her. Her stance for equality, standing up to the school board was welcomed and applauded by a whole host of people including Ellen DeGeneres, who interviews the young lesbian on her daily chat show.
"Whilst it's not a life changing amount of money, it will pay for the rest of her education, which is important. It also sends out a loud and clear message to other schools and school boards, that they can no longer discriminate just on the grounds of sexual orientation - for that, this ruling is priceless" Dean Adams, a human rights campaigner told me.
Hopefully, now, Constance will be able to get on with her education, with her life, free from worry and discrimination and happy in the knowledge that, at least for future gays and lesbians of her home time, the school is a more accepting place.
Jason Shaw
Jason Shaw's personal blog on life in the slow lane of England's south coast can be found at The Seafront Diaries!
Constance McMillen was the girl, she sued the school board and this week it's bee announced that she's accepted an offer to settle the case. American Civil Liberties Union attorneys representing Constance McMillen filed notice Monday in U.S. District Court to accept a judgment offer from the Itawamba County School District to pay $35,000, plus fees. Whilst the money is a good on a personal level for Constance, the greatest part of the agreement is that the school district have had to agree that it would follow a policy not to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in any educational or extracurricular activities, in the future.
Earlier today the ACLU made a statement saying the case is precedent-setting because the district is the first in Mississippi to implement a policy banning discrimination and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
"I'm so glad this is all over," said Constance McMillen in a statement earlier today, Tuesday. "I won't ever get my prom back, but it's worth if it changes things at my school."
"I hope this means that in the future students at my school will be treated fairly," McMillen said.
McMillen eventually transferred from IAHS to a school in Jackson, in part to get away from the prejudice and harassment that surrounded her. Her stance for equality, standing up to the school board was welcomed and applauded by a whole host of people including Ellen DeGeneres, who interviews the young lesbian on her daily chat show.
"Whilst it's not a life changing amount of money, it will pay for the rest of her education, which is important. It also sends out a loud and clear message to other schools and school boards, that they can no longer discriminate just on the grounds of sexual orientation - for that, this ruling is priceless" Dean Adams, a human rights campaigner told me.
Hopefully, now, Constance will be able to get on with her education, with her life, free from worry and discrimination and happy in the knowledge that, at least for future gays and lesbians of her home time, the school is a more accepting place.
Jason Shaw
Jason Shaw's personal blog on life in the slow lane of England's south coast can be found at The Seafront Diaries!
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