Careful Mississippi...
Alex Romero
Religious wingnuts denying civil rights again!...When I went to school, there were alot of dateless girls that went to the prom together as 'friends', they took photos together danced together, exactly like a date, just not lesbians...and no one cared...there really is no difference here besides what is happening behind closed doors...these Bible thumpers need a good lesson in manners...
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100311/NEWS/3110346/1001/news/Mississippi-prom-nixed-after-controversy-over-student-s-date
Mississippi lesbian alleges retaliation after prom date debate
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, said Wednesday the school board's decision to cancel the school prom rather than allow her to attend with her girlfriend is retaliation.McMillen and the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi gave the district until Wednesday to drop its objections to same-sex dates. The school board responded with a statement canceling the prom and suggesting a private group host an independent prom instead.
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes anyone," the message concluded.
McMillen was alarmed when she heard of the board's decision to cancel the April 2 dance.
"Oh, my God. That's really messed up because the message they are sending is that if they have to let gay people go to prom that they are not going to have one," she said. "A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this, so in a way it's really retaliation."
School officials told McMillen last month that she could not bring her sophomore girlfriend to the prom and could not wear a tuxedo. The school then circulated a memo prohibiting same-sex dates.
"I asked my teacher about it, and she said, 'Well, you have to remember where you are,'" McMillen said.
But Christine Sun, the ACLU's senior attorney for its gay rights project, said the ban on same-sex dates is a violation of McMillen's constitutional rights.
"We believe the law is pretty clear," Sun said. "The school just can't arbitrarily say you have to be an opposite (sex) date to (go to) the prom."
McMillen said she believes the district is trying to get around the issue by having a private group hold the dance to limit attendance.
"If they set it up privately they probably aren't going to allow gay people to go, and there is nothing that you can do about it," she said. "I'm going to have to change schools or something."
McMillen has spent her entire life in Fulton, a city of about 4,100 people in the northeast corner of the state. Her grandmother, Dale McMillen, said she supports her decision to contest the policy.
Kyle Curtis
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