buddahj Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 By SHELIA BYRD, Associated Press Writer Shelia Byrd, Associated Press Writer – 31 mins ago JACKSON, Miss. – A northern Mississippi school district will not be hosting a high school prom this spring after a lesbian student sought to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. The Itawamba County school district's board decided Wednesday to drop the prom because of what it called recent distractions but without specifically mentioning the girl's request, which was backed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The student, 18-year-old high school senior Constance 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. Calls to McMillen by The Associated Press late Wednesday went unanswered. 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 same-sex prom dates violated McMillen's constitutional rights. Instead, the school board met and issued a statement announcing it wouldn't host the event at Itawamba County Agricultural High School in Fulton, "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events." The statement didn't mention McMillen or the ACLU. When asked by The Associated Press if McMillen's demand led to the cancellation, school board attorney Michele Floyd said she could only reference the statement. "It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors," district officials said in the statement. "However, at this time, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Itawamba County School District, after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students." 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." Itawamba County is a rural area of about 23,000 people in north Mississippi near the Alabama state line. It's near Pontotoc County, Miss., where more than a decade ago school officials were sued in federal court over their practice of student-led intercom prayer and Bible classes. Anna Watson, a 17-year-old junior at the high school, was looking forward to the prom, especially since the town's only hotspot is the bowling alley, she said. "I am a little bummed out about it. I guess it's a decision that had to be made. Either way someone was going to get disappointed — either Constance was or we were," Watson said. "I don't agree with homosexuality, but I can't change what another person thinks or does." Other students are on McMillen's side. McKenzie Chaney, 16, said she wasn't planning to attend the prom, but "it's kind of ridiculous that they can't let her wear the tuxedo and it all be over with." A Feb. 5 memo to students laid out the criteria for bringing a date to the prom, and one requirement was that the person must be of the opposite sex. The ACLU said McMillen approached school officials shortly before the memo went out because she knew same-sex dates had been banned in the past. The ACLU said district officials told McMillen she and her girlfriend wouldn't be allowed to arrive together, that she would not be allowed to wear a tuxedo, and that she and her girlfriend might be asked to leave if their presence made any other students "uncomfortable." McMillen said she feared she would be thrown out of the prom because "we do live in the Bible Belt." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 McKenzie Chaney, 16, said she wasn't planning to attend the prom, but "it's kind of ridiculous that they can't let her wear the tuxedo and it all be over with." How obvious. But the real thing is people wanting to control others lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 what a bunch of losers. cancel the prom so a lesbian can't come? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 What I don't get is why they have to officially go as a couple. Why not just show up together with one in the tux & the other in a dress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I find it hard to believe that Mississippi would be so intolerant of gays, so I'm gonna guess that it was a lesbian inter-racial couple. It that was the case, more in Ole Miss would agree with the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 "McMillen said she feared she would be thrown out of the prom because "we do live in the Bible Belt." Where is Ren McCormack when you need him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 What I don't get is why they have to officially go as a couple. Why not just show up together with one in the tux & the other in a dress? Maybe they don't want to hide who they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 "It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors," district officials said in the statement. "However, at this time, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Itawamba County School District, after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students." "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. Calls to McMillen by The Associated Press late Wednesday went unanswered. Notice he said students and not student. They couldn't care less about what retaliations this girl receives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 What, youi're gay? Fine! Then no prom!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Ridiculous, but not unusual for Mississippi. There is a documentary about the first interracial prom at a Mississippi high school and all the controversy it caused. Pockets of this country are stuck in 1955. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_bone65 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 How obvious. But the real thing is people wanting to control others lives. +1 Too bad you don't feel the same way about the federal government. Canceling prom because two lesbians are going to be there is just stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Pics? http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100...-student-s-date Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100...-student-s-date Must be the butch half Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_bone65 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Must be the butch half + Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 C'mon...the other kids may have caught the ghey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 While I think the school is definitely making a poor decision in this case, the girls did not help their case by insisting one of them was going to wear a tux instead of a dress, IMO. If they want to be able to go and enjoy the prom like any other couple, then why not wear dresses like the other ladies do and not make a point of standing out? Seems to me there was a little "in your face" to these girls and that probably isnt helping their cause... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100...-student-s-date Whoa, they should shut down the McDonalds too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Whoa, they should shut down the McDonalds too. I believe I've seen data that says Mississippi is the "fattest" state in the union. Also one of(if not the) poorest. Interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbpfan1231 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 While I think the school is definitely making a poor decision in this case, the girls did not help their case by insisting one of them was going to wear a tux instead of a dress, IMO. If they want to be able to go and enjoy the prom like any other couple, then why not wear dresses like the other ladies do and not make a point of standing out? Seems to me there was a little "in your face" to these girls and that probably isnt helping their cause... I bet there is a lot of "in your face" with these two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Good Lord the leviathan state is out of control. What's the problem with being a vagiterian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 (edited) Maybe they don't want to hide who they are. So did they go to the school & ask if they would be allowed to go as a couple? If so, why would they do that unless they were looking to make it an issue? Straight couples don't go and ask if they can go together. All things being equal, why should gay couples even consider doing it any differently (pun intended)? I've got to wonder if their true intent was to make a statement rather than just wanting to go to the prom & if that's the case then they deserve what they get. High school prom should be about kids going to a social event and enjoying themselves, not gay awareness. Now, if they were singled out simply because they are gay then I agree with everyone else & the school board needs to have their collective arses kicked, but I think there is a lot more to the story than what is being reported. ETA: I've got to read the end of the article before replying Edited March 11, 2010 by rajncajn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 +1 Too bad you don't feel the same way about the federal government. Canceling prom because two lesbians are going to be there is just stupid. This is not a thread about the Federal gov't, it is a thread about dimwitted Mississippians. Try and keep up Perch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 While I think the school is definitely making a poor decision in this case, the girls did not help their case by insisting one of them was going to wear a tux instead of a dress, IMO. If they want to be able to go and enjoy the prom like any other couple, then why not wear dresses like the other ladies do and not make a point of standing out? Seems to me there was a little "in your face" to these girls and that probably isnt helping their cause... Hmmm, let's see. They now have national media coverage of their story, sounds like they're helping their cause just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Prediction: Ellen Degeneres steps in and offers to pay for a prom for these kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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