Mississippi School District Cancels Prom Amid Lesbian Date Controversy

reply to post by Lilitu


Great question. Another one: What if the school told your son that he couldn't bring his female date to the prom because of where she lives, even though she attends the same school... or because she had a pierced belly button... or because of the color of her hair... or some other ridiculous reason?

Anyway, here's an article that delves into some the legal aspects of the case and the school's response. I found it very interesting.

USA Today

The school board's response states that parents have organized a private prom at a furniture mart in nearby Tupleo. Now that the school district has withdrawn from the event, any constitutional claims are irrelevant, Griffith wrote.
...
"Constance has not been invited, so it is clear to me that what is happening is that the school has encouraged a private prom that is not open to all the students," she said. "That's what Constance is fighting for — a prom where everyone can go."
...
"Constance and her gay-activist friends will not be attending," he said. "They can go have their own prom because we certainly do not want any of them there."

I'm not so sure that any constitutional claims are irrelevant, considering the published memo that forbids opposite gender dates.

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. ~Mark Twain,

The kids who attend that private prom will have to live with their own conscience the rest of their life.

This is definitely not a Win-Win for them. Maybe for their parents & the school - - but not for them.

There will be many regrets and resentment later in their lives. And I doubt it will be against the teenage girl who stood on principle.

An interesting view on this issue from Right Pundits.com

In this day and time the school board in Itawamba County Mississippi had to realize they weren’t going to get away with a draconian policy stating what type of date a person could bring to the prom. Whatever your morals and standards you must be realistic. Had the school system simply allowed Constance McMillan’s Lesbian date to attend with her they would have avoided a mountain of legal trouble that they are now embroiled in; not to mention the bad press.
...
Nobody, especially a school board wants to find themselves in the crosshairs of the ACLU over an issue like this. This is a fight the school board will not win.

It's been a long time since I agreed with something that Right Pundits had to say, but today, I do.

Thursday, March 11, 2010 03:18 PM

Hosting a private prom is the same bull pucky they've been doing in the south for years to exclude African American students. Watch the documentary by Morgan Freeman about the prom in his home town for further info.

jezebel.com...

www.promnightinmississippi.com...



[edit on 20-3-2010 by Annee]

That looks like a great movie. I think I'll rent it.

I don't see ANY difference at all in the race issue and the sexual orientation issue. They're both qualities that people are born with. Can a person fight against and deny their homosexuality and live the life of a straight person? Sure. But a black person can bleach their skin and "pass" as a white person, too. Is it something that should be done? Encouraged? Is being black something that needs to be fixed because it's a minority? Of course not. Neither is homosexuality.

It would be nice if someone would explain the difference between race and sexual orientation. I've heard so many times that it's different, but have yet to read how it's different...

Originally posted by devilishlyangelic23

Originally posted by sos37

2. Most gay people aren't tolerant of anyone of doesn't approve of their lifestyle. So it's okay for gays to want everyone else to respect their way of life but they absolutely won't be open minded to people who believe that a gay lifestyle is repulsive. They claim to respect diverse opinions, yet they don't accept opinions that run contrary to their repulsive lifestyle.
I find them to be hypocrites not willing to practice what they preach.

wow...you really know a lot of gay people who are intolerant to others opinions? never in my life have i met a gay person who is the way you've described. never. not once. they are easily the MOST tolerant and open minded people i have ever met in my life. maybe its not that they're intolerant of other people's opinions, but that they want to receive fair and equal treatment and feel the need to stand up for themselves and their own rights instead of just accepting the discrimination as it is and letting others walk all over them...thats not intolerance of someone elses opinion...thats them wanting to stand up for their rights. and im DAMN sure that if someone tried to trample all over your rights as a person you'd stand up for yourself too...

Then explain what happened to Carrie Prejean.

She didn't offer her opinion on gay marriage first - she was asked the question and gave an HONEST TO GOD answer and look what happened to her - the media, celebrities, the pro-gay rights crowd called her names, went on a campaign to make her life hell and turn over every stone in her life where she had done any wrongdoing.

Again, SHE WAS ASKED THE QUESTION - she didn't go out and force her opinion on others.

So explain that, all of you. if gays are SO TOLERANT of others opinions, then explain what happened to her.

Go on - I'm waiting to hear the excuses you will give them for going on a hate-filled rampage against Prejean just because she was vocal about disagreeing with gay marriage.

Originally posted by Annee
The kids who attend that private prom will have to live with their own conscience the rest of their life.

This is definitely not a Win-Win for them. Maybe for their parents & the school - - but not for them.

There will be many regrets and resentment later in their lives. And I doubt it will be against the teenage girl who stood on principle.

Oh whatever. I'll bet you anything those kids couldn't care less about it being "on their conscience the rest of their lives", especially knowing that Constance has a $30,000 scholarship just for being a standup gay. If the majority of her classmates hate Constance and have turned against her as BH said in her post then they'll go to the private prom giving Constance the finger and smiling about it, as well they should.

It's a win for them, the school board and the parents. The only one who loses out here is Constance and her gay activist girlfriend because they brought this mess upon themselves by insisting that everyone cater to their special lifestyle.

Originally posted by sos37
Then explain what happened to Carrie Prejean.

She became the poster child for intolerance, and did the rubber chicken circuit based on that...oh, that and her sex tape. I didn't see it...I presume it was hetero? Pesky law suit as well...did she have to pay the pageant back for the Nerf boobs they bought her?

But...a principled young lady, nonetheless.

self edit to say, she gave a reasonable answer and should not have been pilloried for it. I'd also say that I don't think Perez Hilton is a particular role model for gay America at the best of times.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by JohnnyCanuck]

Mainly Miss America is a promotional job. It is not a platform to use for religious intolerance. Or to exclude a minority group.

There is a way of expressing a personal belief - - - and still express that you support equal rights for every one. Carrie did not do that.

why does everyone moan about lesbians and gay men??? they are human too and have as much rights as everyone else

Originally posted by sos37
So explain that, all of you. if gays are SO TOLERANT of others opinions, then explain what happened to her.

Regardless of what the other poster said, gay people are as tolerant or intolerant of other people's opinions as anyone else. Many people are intolerant of others' opinions. Some disparage those with whom they disagree. I'm sure you're quite familiar with this.

However, there's a difference between being intolerant of other people's opinions and being intolerant of who they are. Opinions come and go. But being gay is NOT an opinion. It's a fundamental characteristic of a person. It's an aspect of who they are.

Go on - I'm waiting to hear the excuses you will give them for going on a hate-filled rampage against Prejean just because she was vocal about disagreeing with gay marriage.

I missed the hate-filled rampage against Prejean. Of course, I don't have FOX News forcing it down my throat. Bus as I understand it, Perez Hilton apologized to her for what he said, and said he'd like to take her out for coffee. Point is, people probably disagreed with her and did what many do: disparage her for her opinions.

You have a fundamental confusion, thinking that being intolerant of someone's opinions is the same thing as being intolerant of who someone is. You call gay people repulsive, diseased, wrong and abnormal. Not for their opinion, but for who they are.

I couldn't care less about your opinions on homosexuality. I support people to have and express their opinions, even if I disagree with them, but the difference is that I don't suppress someone's freedoms and equal rights and disparage them because of who they are. In fact, I SUPPORT their rights, even though I disagree with them. THAT is the essence of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. It would be nice if you understood that.

I don't mind that you don't approve of gay people. That's your opinion. But you cross a line when you start messing with their rights, just because you don't approve of them. The fact that you don't even think they deserve EQUAL rights has me frustrated. I know you believe strongly in the Constitution and the founding documents of this country, but there seems to be s disconnect when it comes to people you don't approve of.

You can bring religion and the bible and anything else into it to justify your views on that, but I will continue to stand up for people who haven't yet received the rights to which they they are entitled by the law of THIS land.

Now, do you suppose you could answer my question?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
It would be nice if someone would explain the difference between race and sexual orientation. I've heard so many times that it's different, but have yet to read how it's different...

I read a few points that I want to clear up: 1) Prom is profitable for the school and 2)It is not a popularity contest, its a dance, the last one. (I can blame Hollywood for that point of view)

Anyway, I really thought that in this day and age we would be able to accept our human brothers and sisters no matter what their sexual orientation, but I guess not.

There is no difference between gays and straights besides who they prefer, that's it. PERIOD. There is not one group who is more tolerant, not one group who is smarter, not one group who is 'better'. Get out of this 18th century ****ing state of mind and accept humans for what they are, the sooner people do this, the sooner they'll enjoy life, seeing as they won't have to complain about their fellow man/woman not thinking the same way they do. Everyone has equal rights.

-Jimmy-

Originally posted by Annee
Mainly Miss America is a promotional job. It is not a platform to use for religious intolerance. Or to exclude a minority group.

There is a way of expressing a personal belief - - - and still express that you support equal rights for every one. Carrie did not do that.

Then you know what? If you're afraid you aren't going to like the answer, don't ask the damn question! But I disgaree with your narrow-minded statement completely - basically you're saying her answer would have been okay if it swung "your way", with how you believe.

You're pathetic and a class example of the intolerance I was speaking of, whether you are gay or not.

Originally posted by sos37

Originally posted by Annee
Mainly Miss America is a promotional job. It is not a platform to use for religious intolerance. Or to exclude a minority group.

There is a way of expressing a personal belief - - - and still express that you support equal rights for every one. Carrie did not do that.

Then you know what? If you're afraid you aren't going to like the answer, don't ask the damn question! But I disgaree with your narrow-minded statement completely - basically you're saying her answer would have been okay if it swung "your way", with how you believe.

You're pathetic and a class example of the intolerance I was speaking of, whether you are gay or not.

I followed the entire Miss America issue very closely from several media outlets. So that I would have an informed opinion.

Did You?

My guess is you got your news from FOX. And that says it all.

-------------------------------

As far as being straight or gay. I am a 63 year old grandmother of 3 - - married to a 42 year old man for 20 years. But that is completely irrelevant to the issue of Equal Rights for ALL humans - - of which I am one.

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Annee]

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Originally posted by sos37
Now, do you suppose you could answer my question?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
It would be nice if someone would explain the difference between race and sexual orientation. I've heard so many times that it's different, but have yet to read how it's different...

Okay - that's an easy one.
1. God doesn't condemn someone for living the life of a certain ethnic origin.
2. Being a difference race doesn't inherently make people want to gag
3. No one has ever changed what race they are - but there are cases where gays have converted to heterosexuality, meaning their "gay" condition was most likely a product of their environment during their upbringing. When is the last time someone was sexually abused in a household and it screwed up their racial profile? Yeah - never. But it sure as hell has messed with their sexual orientation in life. My wife worked with one such guy in her previous job. The guy was a "flaming" gay who eventually had a mental breakdown. After an extended period of time in therapy and seeing psychologists he dated and married a woman - so don't give me any BS about how you've never heard a case of sexual abuse in the home causing homosexual behavior later in one's life - just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it never happens.

[edit on 22-3-2010 by sos37]

Sexuality is not Black & White - - it is grey.

On the sliding scale you may be to one end heterosexual or to the other end homosexual - - but most people fall some where in the middle.

If you are near the middle - - chances are you could swing or slide either way. For those near the middle environment probably does play an important part in which way a person's sexual interest slides. Or a man who slid gay could probably choose to live as hetero.

But if you are farther one way or the other from the middle - - you are going to be who you are.

Originally posted by sos37
1. God doesn't condemn someone for living the life of a certain ethnic origin.

Well, I guess I should have specified that I meant in the eyes of the law.

2. Being a difference race doesn't inherently make people want to gag

You mean you. Race doesn't make YOU inherently want to gag. Truth is, some people feel as angry and hostile toward people of another race as you obviously feel toward homosexuals. But that's not about the the gay people. It's about the hatred and intolerance of those who hate them.

3. No one has ever changed what race they are

I don't think anyone has ever changed their sexual orientation, either. They may "pass" for something other than who they are, but inside, they're still the same person. And when a person pretends to be something they're not, the discontinuity manifests in a self-hatred that is pretty obvious to anyone who is observing.

Originally posted by Dr Love
Why does one HAVE to wear a tuxedo? Just wear a dress and keep your piehole shut.

What a lovely moderator you are! She is allowed to wear whatever she wants to wear. As someone already stated, there was a time when woman weren't allowed to use pants. In this case, she obviously doesn't feel confortable wearing a dress so she wants to wear a tux (which BTW is a common practice even amongst hetero girls), so why is she forced into a dress? A tux is still formal so it's appropiate for this kind of thing.

Originally posted by Dr Love
So the girls could've still showed up without a date and gotten into the prom.....and then enjoyed the prom together. Seems easy enough for me.

Actually they couldn't. School was perfectly clear when they told the girl that they both could be expelled from the prom if they were to be seen together as a couple.

I have been following this story a bit since first hearing it in the news.. i personally am not entirely straight should we say, and yeah it would have angered me as well, especially in this day and age..times do indeed change though..my closest friend in highschool was (and still is) gay, he was more or less forced by the school, the students and the entire attitude over all on the topic to bring a female or not go at all.. in his case he did opt to bring a female friend to the prom instead of causing an uproar (strange for him on a normal day however lol). Fast forward roughly 10 years, same school, my niece who decided she was meant to have been born into this world as male from quite a young age decided to do the whole hormone replacement deal using T injections once she was of age to do so.. no one batted an eye when she showed to prom in a tux with her girlfriend on her arm.. and this school happens to be a small backwood school where views dont normally stretch too far from home, so to say. As for this incident in the news, i can see both sides to the argument.. firstly that yes she easily could have just gone to the prom solo and met her date there, or gone in a group of other females and no one would have known a thing otherwise.. so i can agree she seemed somewhat determined to get a rise out of the school board and people in general really.. but, with that said should she have just kept quiet? If she had, the arcane rule in the schools handbook wouldnt ever have been looked at or even challenged, and the girl had the right to speak up about it and not just go silently along with the herd..
Too many people have done so with huge numbers of topics over the years, and it isnt always the best option!

Originally posted by Radiobuzz
What a lovely moderator you are!

That has as much to do with this discussion as what I wear or my religious beliefs. Moderators are human beings and have opinions. What do you think they are? Some kind of automatons who have no opinions? Sorry, but that's just a cop out.

Originally posted by Full_Vision
If she had, the arcane rule in the schools handbook wouldnt ever have been looked at or even challenged, and the girl had the right to speak up about it and not just go silently along with the herd..

EXCELLENT point! We need to examine these things, not just brush them under the rug.