Mississippi School: No Prom if Lesbians Want to Attend
A school district in Mississippi has cancelled a high school prom after a lesbian student asked to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. There is still hope that students will arrange a prom of their own away from school grounds.
Trouble started when 18-year-old Constance McMillan inquired about bringing her girlfriend to the dance at the Itawamba County Agricultural High School in rural Fulton. School policy requires that prom dates be of the opposite sex. Constance had the backing of the ACLU of Mississippi, which gave the district until Wednesday to change the policy, arguing it violates constitutional rights.
Instead, the school district called off the prom. It didn't mention the girl's request as the specific reason, but in a statement said it was "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events."
"A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this, so in a way it's really retaliation," Constance told The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson.
The ACLU said district officials told Constance 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."
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."
The statement from the district went on to say that it wouldn't be against students arranging their own dance:
"It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors. 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."
Students have mixed feelings about the controversy.
"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," junior Anna Watson said. "I don't agree with homosexuality, but I can't change what another person thinks or does."
McKenzie Chaney 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."
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This reads almost like a comedy from the mid 80s... perhaps next on the counties agenda will be tearing down the rec center where all the poor kids hang out... or maybe close down the summer camp where the oddball kids go.
This is for you and all of your "opinions" on the matter. Here are mine.
First and for most your statement about not having sexuality in high schools is ridiculous. Stemming from this case there is an obvious need for sexuality in schools. More specifically Mississippi, for the reason that there are more teenage pregnancies a year from this state than any other state. Needless to say your claim sexuality should stay out of the class room is not only ignorant but wrong . Don’t worry you can look up my sources because I don’t want you thinking I would be coming unprepared for this little tangent you seem to be conjuring up on this forum. My point is that there is a pressing need for education on sexuality and its practices at an age related capacity. Now Mississippi is known for its ultra conservative laws and Trap Bills and this policy is just another stab at oppressing and constraining more liberal thinking. This has been seen time and time again with instead of its failed attempt at taking down ROE V. WADE they have taken it upon themselves to insert bills and regulations on abortion . “See also Planned Parenthood V. Casey” Now please turn your attention to the case of Brown V. Board of Education where it is noted by the court not only was damage caused by racial stereotypes but by gender “overbroad generalizations about the different talents, Capacities or preference of males and females” can be damaging.
United States v. Virginia, 518 U.S. 515, 533 (1996). This goes further when again Mississippi decides instead of attacking the law that was upheld but instead, side stepping and putting up blatant segregation of sex “Mississippi
Followed suit, passing a law in 1964 permitting school
Boards to separate students on the basis of sex in school assignments
Or class assignments when the board “in its discretion,
determine[d] such separation w[ould] promote or preserve
The public peace, order, or tranquility of the school district,
Or the health morals or education of the students.” Act
of July 15, 1964, ch. 25, § 1, 1964 Miss. Laws 57 (Extraordinary
Sess.) (codified at Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-3)”. This was to keep African American boys away from White girls . Is this not the same type of treatment that is happening on such a smaller scale? It is true that Constance McMillan is a willing participant in her academic success and is attending this school at her own free will but she is not asking for her girlfriend to attend the school she is simply asking for a night that is chaperoned. Now if you want to question whether that is good enough then the problem is not the children attending the prom but rather the incompetency of the chaperones and the school system since they are implying they want to bring peace and normalcy to this place of education. As I close my peace I think this was fitting. “According to an old Southern saying, ‘the key
To the schoolroom door is the key to the bedroom door.’”
Josephine Ross, The Sexualization of Difference: A Comparison
of Mixed-Race and Same-Gender Marriage, 37
Harv. C.R.-C.L. L. Rev. 255, 268 (2002). Now if a school room is like the key to the bedroom we obviously have a lot of work to be doing because this inclination that a place of education is anywhere close to comparison of a place of privacy and home life. I think it has been proven that school is not private nor is it as accepting as home life. Shall we not kid ourselves to ascertain this simplistic idea that these ideals and notions of sexuality and gender are a tad out dated and surely doused with a few gallons of religion .
paralize that school district. What were they so afraid of? Let's overlook all the other problems and zero in on one that would have affected no one.
it's Mississippi. you would have to be blind not to see that they took away this young woman 's prom out of spite. she had the gall to stand up to their bigotry , and they shut her down. it sickens me. and you sicken me when you side with them. they are imposing their religious views onto this school , something our country was built on avoiding.
You assume that, since it is Mississippi, they are just a bunch of bigots. Do you know them? Ever have supper at their table?
Don't you think your message is a little discredited by being a bit of a bigot yourself? Quick, deny it. Refuse to look inward. Refuse to consider an outside observation. Let your in-curiosity be your guide.
Tell me I am wrong , that you just didn't do to 'those people' exactly what you just accused them of doing.
Dude.
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
"You assume that, since it is Mississippi, they are just a bunch of bigots. Do you know them? Ever have supper at their table?"
While it may not be a safe assumption that everyone in the area is bigoted when you consider the reaction of the school board it is a safe assumption that their view is shared by a majority of the population.
Make no mistake, the districts policy is a bigoted one.
Why should a High School be interested in sexuality? Shouldn't students be focusing on their studies instead of sexing each other up?
Should a high school allow cross dressers, trans-genders, and goat-fuc&ers also? Where is the line between education and sexual advertisement drawn in the tax-payer-funded school system?
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
"Why should a High School be interested in sexuality? Shouldn't students be focusing on their studies instead of sexing each other up?"
Then why have the prom in the first place?
"Should a high school allow cross dressers, trans-genders, and goat-fuc&ers also? Where is the line between education and sexual advertisement drawn in the tax-payer-funded school system?"
How is a prom 'sexual advertisement' when it allows cross-dressers and transgendered individuals... but not 'sexual advertisement' when it is restricted to heterosexuals (and as a side point, cross dresser != homosexual)
Teenagers are going to form romantic and sexual relationships, and are going to express themselves sexually. Since they spend a significant portion of their waking hours in school it is only natural that schools would have to deal with that.
"Then why have the prom in the first place?"
When it became a case of sexuality being more important than community and celebration, the school had to cancel it.
No, cross dresser does not equal homosexual, but cross dresser does equal the girl who wanted to wear the tux, So don't get your shorts in a bunch.
Do you have a daughter in school? When you do, you'll change your tune.
Unless... You like dating high school girls , of course. Is that what you are justifying here?
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
Dear Writer,
These comments on both sides have gone off track.
Logic makes a simple appeal.
When a student is a member of a school , they are entitled to certain American civil rights .
Wearing a tux or cross dressing may be seen as an "advertisement of sexuality" and a " freedom of expression." It does not intend to deter from the learning process, though that may be a latent effect. It is unethical to bar a student's self-expression. Some schools have dress codes to prevent students from wearing bells and whistles, because they are distracting. But the article of clothing itself is allowed for other members, so the article cannot be barred.
In High School, I was the Senior Class President, a Varsity Athlete, a Student Leader of the Year and our Homecoming King. I was also gay . My school was in a rural, conservative town where I was not the "normal" student. My school administration and teachers and the parents of my peers and my peers respected me for the content of my character. My orientation did not compromise my humor , my compassion or my talent. Were my school to have denied me my right to go to prom (a prom that I planned and raised money for) I would never be the high achieving student and citizen I am today.
Rosa Parks could have chosen to move her seat quite easily, but chose not to. Constance McMillen could have chosen to skip out on prom, but chose not to. This reasoning by analogy is valid, for it is not the triviality of the subject that matters, but the underlying ethics and morals that matter.
I respect each citizen to the best of my ability and understand when and why people disagree. Without disagreement or varying views, we would have no democracy and no freedom.
However, logic and not emotions and attitudes should guide this debate. Be careful to make points that deter from the central argument: Was the School District ethical in their decision? Were Constance's civil rights neglected?
I hope you all the best, and even more I hope the Constance's peers know that the world is watching them. Their decision to include or exclude their fellow student from a joyous event will paint them as leaders of the future or prejudicial people of the past.
Sincerely,
Pat Lambert
Political Communications, Leadership & Social Advocacy
Emerson College
Boston, MA