McMillen
(Family photo via ACLU Mississippi)
A Mississippi high school has called off the annual senior prom after a lesbian student demanded she be allowed to bring her girlfriend.
The Itawamba County school board announced Wednesday it would cancel the Itawamba County Agricultural High School prom, after the ACLU demanded the district change its policy requiring only opposite-sex prom dates.
“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,” school board members said in a statement released through the district’s attorney. “It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes anyone,” the message concluded.
School officials told Constance McMillen, 18, last month that she could not bring her sophomore girlfriend to the prom and also told her she could not wear a tuxedo.
McMillen contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, which earlier this month issued a letter (PDF) demanding the school change its policy.
The letter gave the district until today to decide on a course of action.
The ACLU said it receives up to 10 complaints a year from gay and lesbian students who feel they’ve been discriminated against.
The issue is now a topic on Capitol Hill. U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., has introduced federal legislation making discrimination in schools based on sexual orientation illegal.
More at the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
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This is just pure BULLSHIT!!!!
Im really sorry for all those who have to put up with such bigoted people throughout life. You know, before the Stonewall riots it was illegal for a person to wear less than 3 gender-specific garments that would identify them as their biological gender… seems to me that we got past all of that when the queens decided to fight back. Guess maybe I was wrong. Its a sad day… to think that the human race is able and willing to say we arent allowed to love because of common sexual organs… so much for being a superior speicies.
Won’t even waste my energy on writing a response to this ridiculous, pathetic, homophobic incident other than to say that the school board here is just fyck’d up !!! Enuf said……….
if anyone wants to give the school district a piece of there mind, the superintendent’s email is listed on this page:
http://www.itawambacountyschools.com/staff/superintendent.htm
I feel horrrible for this girl and her girlfriend not being able to expierence such an important event together. The school cancelling the whole prom over this is just RIDICULOUS, way too dramatic. A couple just wanted to go to a dance together. Yes it was against school policy but that policy is outdated, disciminatory, and needs to be changed.
I’d love to know if she has the support of fellow students or not…?
I am so sorry this happened. I am saddened by the behavior of the parents and they acted like children. I grew up in Hattiesburg and Jackson. I do know what it is like. I left Jackson after completed my degree in Belhave in 1983 and moved to bigger city, Dallas, Texas. We will be leaving Nashville today to attend the event and give you all of the support you need. I am behind you all the way! Shame on the Tupelo parents. It is time for them to grow up and expand the horizon.