[excel excel]

This was a article I read in the Huffington Post today. Its very sad and it angers me too...

Here's the link
http://news.yahoo.co...sbian_prom_date

Quote

JACKSON, Miss. — A northern Mississippi school district decided Wednesday not to host a high school prom after a lesbian student demanded she be able to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.

The Itawamba County school district's policy requires that senior prom dates be of the opposite sex. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi had given the district until Wednesday to change that policy and allow 18-year-old Constance McMillen to escort her girlfriend, who is also a student, to the dance on April 2.

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."

Now this poor girl is getting threats from her own classmates for ruining prom.

What I find even more offensive than the Principal barring her from being herself, is canceling the prom, and making it known that the reason everyone else is being punished is because of "that girl". Now not only is the girl being discriminated against by the school admin, she now runs the risk of being ostracized, harassed and tormented by the rest of the students (specifically ignorant ones with parents like this administrator). This almost sounds like a very very bad joke if it weren't true. This principal should not only be fired, but brought up on a civil lawsuit if indeed the student ends up needing to change schools or move. Sad.

[Lina]

That's just terrible! ; 3;

[Tiamat97]

although i dont agree with homosexuality, this is just wrong, and so what if they are lesbians, they could go separatly and meet up together at the dance, prom is formal wear, theres never been anything said that a woman has to wear a dress, i can see this being something ok if it was a christian or catholic high school but otherwise theres no reason

[mellowSwEET]

D: I just read about this!
I think what the principal did and is still doing is clearly student harrassment!
Whether or not the principal thinks homosexuality is wrong, does not mean she/he has to force his/her beliefs on everyone else buy pulling a barbaric move like cancelling the prom.

[XenoBlade]

It's kinda messed up. I mean I can understand how homosexual couples want to be with each other, but I think they should have been careful with the tuxedo demands. I mean they KNOW they are in the south, the bible belt, and stuff like this will NOT fly. I can't fully feel pity when they should have KNOW the consequences.

But the principal pretty much codemned that girl by making it public. That there is the shame.

[excel excel]

XenoBlade, on Mar 11 2010, 07:29 PM, said:

But the principal pretty much codemned that girl by making it public. That there is the shame.

I agree 100% If they didnt want "distractions to the educational process" they wouldnt have cancelled the prom. The fact that they cancelled it will be much more of a distraction than if they just let the kid go. They also obviously dont give a crap about the safety and well being of the girl because they have now made her a target for all her classmates upset over the cancellation of the prom.

The school board is 100% full of crap on this.

[wrexness]

Tiamat97, on Mar 11 2010, 07:09 PM, said:

although i dont agree with homosexuality, this is just wrong, and so what if they are lesbians, they could go separatly and meet up together at the dance, prom is formal wear, theres never been anything said that a woman has to wear a dress, i can see this being something ok if it was a christian or catholic high school but otherwise theres no reason

I'm pretty sure even if they did meet up at the prom, there was a caveat in the rules that said they could've been asked to leave if students "felt uncomfortable", which is BS. And actually, in fact, this particular school has rules that say a girl does have to wear a dress (or more accurately she can't wear a tux). The school is ultimately trying to make the girl a scapegoat, and they will definitely be feeling the pain when she counters with a lawsuit. She's already got ACLU support.

XenoBlade, on Mar 11 2010, 07:29 PM, said:

It's kinda messed up. I mean I can understand how homosexual couples want to be with each other, but I think they should have been careful with the tuxedo demands. I mean they KNOW they are in the south, the bible belt, and stuff like this will NOT fly. I can't fully feel pity when they should have KNOW the consequences.

But the principal pretty much codemned that girl by making it public. That there is the shame.

I understand where you're coming from, but just because that's the way it is doesn't make it right.

[XenoBlade]

wrexness, on Mar 11 2010, 07:53 PM, said:

I'm pretty sure even if they did meet up at the prom, there was a caveat in the rules that said they could've been asked to leave if students "felt uncomfortable", which is BS. And actually, in fact, this particular school has rules that say a girl does have to wear a dress (or more accurately she can't wear a tux). The school is ultimately trying to make the girl a scapegoat, and they will definitely be feeling the pain when she counters with a lawsuit. She's already got ACLU support.

I understand where you're coming from, but just because that's the way it is doesn't make it right.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm more or less just saying I don't feel a lot of pity. Just pity for the fact that now that girl will have to live the rest of her high school days in terror of her classmates.

[wrexness]

XenoBlade, on Mar 11 2010, 08:17 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm more or less just saying I don't feel a lot of pity. Just pity for the fact that now that girl will have to live the rest of her high school days in terror of her classmates.

*shrug* Fair enough, but I do feel sympathy for her. I don't think you should just shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well, what can you do?" if something is wrong - especially when you're talking about a person's rights. Stand up and defend yourself; do something about it. Things will never change if you let them stay at the status quo.

[XenoBlade]

wrexness, on Mar 11 2010, 08:24 PM, said:

*shrug* Fair enough, but I do feel sympathy for her. I don't think you should just shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well, what can you do?" if something is wrong - especially when you're talking about a person's rights. Stand up and defend yourself; do something about it. Things will never change if you let them stay at the status quo.

Actually, on these kinda of issues, I choose not to stand at a certain side. I'm in the middle. That is more of why I'm kinda like "shrugging" as you said. While I don't agree with that issue for my own personal beliefs, I think people should embrace and do what they feel is right to themselves. So that equates to me being indifferent. But when it comes to being called out when that should have been discreet and now she will be pretty much tortured everyday, I feel that is wrong, and action should be taken against the board for letting the reason be known like that.

[wrexness]

^Agreed 100%.

[Matt PNiewski]

Well, this girl has my respect.

And that Principal is a disgusting waste of space who should not be allowed to pollute our oxygen by exhaling back into it.


And I love living in a country where I have the rights to make blanket statements about how other people shouldn't have rights.

[mellowSwEET]

This situation is just too cruel for an ordinary highschool girl who has rights to believe in what she believes in, to go through such turmoil...

[sentinel28a]

I'm going to be Mr. Unpopular here and say that they're both wrong.

First, the principal: nuh uh. You don't cancel prom for this. Prom is huge for high school students; they only get to go once in their life. (Or if you're me, never, but I hated my high school with a white-hot blazing fervor.) To cancel prom because of something like this is not wrong--technically--but it is callous and flat-out stupid. That's doing three major things wrong as an educator: one, you're imposing your own beliefs on your students. Two, you're punishing the innocent along with the guilty. Three, you're singling someone out.

I was taught by a very wise man early in my career: praise in public, punish in private. For example, I have a student who's a bit of a smartass. I took him aside before class one day and told him to knock it off. He thanked me for doing that, telling me that the teacher in the previous period had told him to STFU in front of the entire class. That's a no-no. I've done that once (because I lost my temper), and I felt bad about it.

Second, the lesbian: why did she do this? Was it necessary to bring your lesbian date to the prom? No. I knew several gay students in my high school, and none of them ever decided to bring their partners to the prom. Why? Because they figured that their sexual orientation was nobody's damn business, and they are right.

So what's this scream loudly to me? ATTENTION WHORE.

This girl wanted a fight with the school district so she could claim discrimination and make a name for herself. She got what she wanted. She's not going to be going through hell; far from it. The principal is going to lose his/her job, and probably the girl will use the ACLU to bring a civil suit against the school district and possibly the principal. Which equals money.

Another question I have to ask: is she really a lesbian? She's what, 17 or 18? Most of us don't even know which end is up at that age. I certainly didn't. I wonder if this girl is truly a lesbian or what a friend of mine used to call "lipstick lesbian," someone who's experimenting or just kisses other girls for attention or to be different. Now if she was 25 or 32, yes, and more power to her. But at age 17, you don't know what you want out of life. At 17 I wanted to be a meterologist, and figured the girl I was halfway dating would be my loving wife. Well, guess what...neither, of course, happened.

So...to sum up, and to quote Shakespeare, a pox on both their houses. The principal for being a moron unfit for his/her position, and the "lesbian" for wanting attention and finding an expensive way of getting it.

You may now commence with the flaming.

Ben Da BBQ Irishman

[Trini]

I applaud you Sentinel.

[this_chick25]

I stand awed in the face of what I was about to say put so eloquently.

[Matt PNiewski]

sentinel28a, on Mar 11 2010, 10:06 PM, said:

Second, the lesbian: why did she do this? Was it necessary to bring your lesbian date to the prom? No. I knew several gay students in my high school, and none of them ever decided to bring their partners to the prom. Why? Because they figured that their sexual orientation was nobody's damn business, and they are right.

Maybe it's because my Prom had a few gay couples that I think differently- They brought their significant others because they thought it would be a nice date. They should be allowed to bring whoever they wish, without fear of repurcussion. They should always be able to do that.

Quote

This girl wanted a fight with the school district so she could claim discrimination and make a name for herself. She got what she wanted. She's not going to be going through hell; far from it. The principal is going to lose his/her job, and probably the girl will use the ACLU to bring a civil suit against the school district and possibly the principal. Which equals money.

I think she wanted the fight after the fact. A civil suit might be much, but the Principal should lose his job.

Quote

Another question I have to ask: is she really a lesbian? She's what, 17 or 18? Most of us don't even know which end is up at that age. I certainly didn't. I wonder if this girl is truly a lesbian or what a friend of mine used to call "lipstick lesbian," someone who's experimenting or just kisses other girls for attention or to be different. Now if she was 25 or 32, yes, and more power to her. But at age 17, you don't know what you want out of life. At 17 I wanted to be a meterologist, and figured the girl I was halfway dating would be my loving wife. Well, guess what...neither, of course, happened.

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt there. People I knew who were wildly gay at seventeen are still wildly gay now. Then again, some have stated they were just curious or experiementing. Your right, they might not know. But just might know well enough.

[sentinel28a]

It still doesn't pass the smell test with me, Newsk. The girl demands that she be let into the prom with her female date? The prom is a privledge--not a right. I could've shown up dressed in a banana hammock and demanded entry into my high school prom, but that doesn't mean I'm getting in. (Sorry to sear that image into your forebrain.)

I know, this is different. But this is where some gay folks lose me. You have made a choice to be gay: that's okay with me. But to go around flaunting it? "I'm a lesbian, look at me! LOOK AT ME!" That's what this whole deal sounds like.

I don't go around flaunting that I'm straight. "Hello there, I like bewbs. Therefore, my date will be topless tonight. Not letting me in? HOW DARE YOU! The Imperial Senate the ACLU will not sit still for this!"

Don't get me wrong. The principal is an asshat who deserves to be censured for singling out a student, no matter what she did, if not lose their job--but I think this mess was precipitated by someone who was craving attention.

Ben Da Mad Irishman

[Matt PNiewski]

sentinel28a, on Mar 11 2010, 10:57 PM, said:

It still doesn't pass the smell test with me, Newsk. The girl demands that she be let into the prom with her female date? The prom is a privledge--not a right. I could've shown up dressed in a banana hammock and demanded entry into my high school prom, but that doesn't mean I'm getting in. (Sorry to sear that image into your forebrain.)

I know, this is different. But this is where some gay folks lose me. You have made a choice to be gay: that's okay with me. But to go around flaunting it? "I'm a lesbian, look at me! LOOK AT ME!" That's what this whole deal sounds like.

I don't think going out on a date counts as flaunting it. I don't think asking to go to prom constitutes that. There is a difference between a gay couple in public, even kissing in public, is not the same as flaunting it.

Quote

I don't go around flaunting that I'm straight. "Hello there, I like bewbs. Therefore, my date will be topless tonight. Not letting me in? HOW DARE YOU! The Imperial Senate the ACLU will not sit still for this!"

If the ACLU won't fight for that, I don't know what the hell is wrong with them. If they support pedophilia, they better support topless girls at prom.

Quote

Don't get me wrong. The principal is an asshat who deserves to be censured for singling out a student, no matter what she did, if not lose their job--but I think this mess was precipitated by someone who was craving attention.

Ben Da Mad Irishman

Probably, I'm going to rescind my statement about respecting her.

[mellowSwEET]

well after reading all these opinions, they all have great points, but we've only heard a few different sides of stories, so we can't say that one's right or wrong except from what we know. and we don't know what happened personally and we don't know them personally we've only heard/read "the news" so you never know, this all could be an exaggeration of something that happened but was less intense : /

[Ohki]

Sentinel, you know I love you, but you completely lost me at "You have made a choice to be gay"

Homosexuals don't just wake up one day and go "You know what? I think I'm going to strictly be romantically and sexually interested in people of the same gender as me". It is not a choice. It's a personal preference, but it's more along the lines of what foods you think taste good or what scents you find pleasant than something like the kind of music you like or your favorite movie. While there is such a thing as an acquired taste, in most cases, you don't make a conscious decision as to what kind food you like; you put something in your mouth and if you like it you eat it and if you really hate it you spit it out. You don't just decide that you like something like that and it becomes so. Sexual orientation is the same deal.

In regards to your speculation that she may not be a "real" lesbian, honestly? She's 18 years old. That is the legal age that American citizens are considered to be adults. By that age, you may not be completely certain, but you probably at least have a pretty good idea of whether you're straight or if there's a possibility of you liking other girls (or other boys if the person in question is male). Of course, she is still in high school and there is a possibility of her being a...idk, "pretend lesbian", but I don't think it's quite as likely as you do. She's in the South. I understand that some people desperately crave attention, but the South can be pretty hardcore about their religious values. I can't see someone going this far to stand out when the attention will clearly be primarily negative if she's doing so by aligning herself with an issue that she really doesn't have anything to do with. Even if she's not really a lesbian, she's probably bisexual, and she definitely has a girlfriend. Whether she's a lesbian or if she's bisexual really isn't relevant, since she has a partner who is not male.

This whole thing just makes me sad and angry. I thought America had moved on from the "only men can wear pants; women belong in skirts or dresses" thing, for starters. Next, forcing your own moral/religious beliefs on others is NEVER okay regardless of who either of you are, and if the person doing the forcing is in a position of authority over the person or people they're forcing their views onto, it's even worse. Geez, at this point, I'd have to say that non-heterosexuals are the new black people. Sure we never enslaved homosexuals and forced them to work on plantations, but this is exactly the same deal as the Civil Rights movement that Martin Luther King Jr. was so famous for his efforts in, only replace black people with gay/bisexual people. How anyone can think this sort of thing is okay is beyond me. The Church may officially oppose homosexual activity, but the Bible did state that the judgment of human sin was ultimately up to God, and Jesus' teachings were all based on loving everybody. Jesus taught people to forgive and love criminals including murderers and rapists. Surely homosexuals are smaller fish to fry on the scale of sins than that.

[Femme Fatale]

To blame a person for their sexual orientation as a reason in cancelling an entire school prom is just absolutely wrong. I'm just disgusted.

[Krystal]

I would kick everyone associated with this in the shin. That's all I have to say.

[excel excel]

That's might nice of the hotel owner to do this

Quote

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A hotel owner in New Orleans is offering to host a prom for seniors at a Mississippi high school.

The school's own prom was canceled after an 18-year-old lesbian student said she wanted to take her girlfriend, and wear a tux. The ACLU demanded that school officials change their policy against same-sex prom dates. And it said the district violated Constance McMillen's free expression rights by not letting her wear a tux.

McMillen is asking a federal judge to force the school district to reinstate the dance.

Meanwhile, New Orleans hotel owner Sean Cummings is offering to take the students to New Orleans by bus, and host a free prom at one of his properties.

He tells a Jackson newspaper (The Clarion-Ledger) he's disappointed with the school board's decision -- and that high school should be concluded on a "joyful" note.

[Scott]

While I'm personally straight, I see no reason what-so-ever that the girl should have been denied going to the prom with her date of choice.

One thing I don't get is the cross-dressing part. Why would she want to do that?

[Tiamat97]

Scott, on Mar 12 2010, 10:35 AM, said:

While I'm personally straight, I see no reason what-so-ever that the girl should have been denied going to the prom with her date of choice.

One thing I don't get is the cross-dressing part. Why would she want to do that?

even lesbians have a man in the relationship, so she obviously wanted to show that shes the man

[Isamu]

I'm still confused over the whole gay vs lesbian thing. A woman tells me that she is not gay but is a lesbian and gets pissed when I look puzzled and ask what the difference is. It's like me saying I'm not straight, I'm a female aficionado.

[Kii]

What's sad is that they'd rather cancel the whole event than let two people have their civil liberties.

[Kii]

Tiamat97, on Mar 12 2010, 11:38 AM, said:

even lesbians have a man in the relationship, so she obviously wanted to show that shes the man

This is unbelievably chauvinistic, Freud.

You men, thinking everyone wants to be you.

[Neko_master_Luna]

While I can understand what is going through the principal's mind, that seems to me as if they are allowing church to enter the the government's school again. I'm not gay, but I have friends who are & they should have rights too. I don't agree, but can understand why they banned her. I see no reason to cancel prom. As for making it public who's to blame. That put's her at risk. I'd like to know why any one responsible for a child's welfare would put one at risk like that? Personally I think the principal should be made to resign. I don't think they have their students welfare in mind. I hope this girl takes this to court, because I can see her winning & saving prom. Though I don't think prom is worth all of this, but her rights are. I also think that students who are not gay should back her up, because it's just a fancy dance, not a reason to stomp on some one's legal rights.