Remember Constance McMillen? The lesbian who was denied prom.

[Shell Beau]

Special Prom Event Falls Short for Lesbian High School Student

After much controversy surrounding a lesbian student who wanted to take her girlfriend to the prom, a special senior prom event, created for her and her date, falls short.

Constance McMillen said she was one of only seven students to show up at a private event chaperoned by school officials last Friday night.

The 18 year old said the rest of her peers went to another private event where she wasn't invited.

Her case drew national attention after she and the ACLU challenged the Itawamba County School District's rule that banned same-sex prom dates and a requirement that only male students wear tuxedos.

McMillen wanted to escort her girlfriend to the event and wear a tuxedo.

The ACLU believes the private prom where McMillen was invited was a decoy to keep her from attending the other party.


http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12268727


She's suing, and I hope she WINS!!!!

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12353293


Bunch of assholes.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Hmm, now where have I seen this before...

[Shell Beau]

2. It hurts my feelings so bad for this girl.

To get all excited about getting dressed for the prom, especially after all she endured to get to go, and they fuckin dupe her. Assholes to the extreme. I really hope she gets the last laugh.

[xchrom]

3. I love that some people who 'thought' cancelling

That cancelling the prom was the 'be all and end all'
of the schools responsibility - that it was 'equal' -
will have to eat their fuckin words.

[Shell Beau]

8. And from what Constance has said, she isn't the only openly gay

person at this school. I hope more and more get the guts that she had and take a stand. That is what it will take IMO.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. Which prom did the other openly gay students attend (if any)?

We had openly gay students at my senior prom...but it was a long time ago and in a seriously different setting.

[Shell Beau]

20. I really don't know. I am not sure any of them even went to prom, or

maybe they went with someone of the opposite sex. I just don't know.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. What is done is done, and there is little viable legal recourse. However, it will be interesting to

see what next year brings. The school can simply refuse to sponsor prom and at that point its free and clear.

[bluestateguy]

4. If the school (a public school) was involved in the conspiracy to plan the private exclusionary prom

Then they are in trouble, and her lawsuit could succeed. If the school was not involved then the school can probably weasel out by saying "hey, we sponsored an off campus prom, which she was invited to; it's not our fault if 99.9% of the other students held a private event that we were not involved with."

We'll see.

[Shell Beau]

5. Regardless of how it went down, I am rooting for her big time.

How sad it must be to show up to prom and realize everyone went somewhere else because you'd be there. She just wanted to go to prom as herself. No big deal. Yet it was.

[anigbrowl]

15. Indeed. It has the makings of an epic courtroom struggle.

I imagine the ACLU will attempt to subpoena everyone involved.

[rhett o rick]

6. I sent Teresa McNeece a nice email.

Teresa McNeece - Superintendent

Email: [email protected]

[Shell Beau]

7. I think more people should. More than from just here in MS.

:thumbsup:

[quickesst]

9. Although I understand the disappointment...

...in the turnout for the "special senior prom", there should be no criticism of those kids who chose to attend a private, and I emphasize "PRIVATE" party that the majority of young people chose to attend. They are. for the most part, KIDS who have yet to find their own identity, and are the products of their parents to this point. The struggle the gay and lesbian community are waging, and the goal they wish to attain should not be fought on the basis of forcing, whether by ridicule, intimidation, or rule, but rather on creating the atmosphere of acceptance. It is not by any means something that will happen overnight. It has been and will be a long, and tedious struggle for a gay couple to sit across the table enjoying dinner with a heterosexual couple without being looked upon as a "gay" couple, whether with affection, disdain, or neutrality, but being looked upon as "just another couple" period. We ask, no, demand too much of our generation, and perhaps the next, but the ultimate goal will be achieved, and whether I am here to witness it or not, I can only hope that my grandchildren will. While I am disappointed that the majority of these kids chose the private party over the special prom event for Constance and her partner, I am heartened that six of her peers chose to attend. That is probably six more than would have been possible ten years ago at that high school. I would also wager that there were those who attended the private party that would have shown up for the special event if peer pressure was not a concern, a concern that all immature teenagers have had to deal with from the beginning of civilization. Thanks.
quickesst

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

10. Interesting sentiment. It's totally wrong, though.

Constance and her six peers that, as you say "chose to attend" were lied to by her class, the teachers, and the school administration.
That "private" party was formed using school resources, by the way. There should be tons of criticism of those kids who lied to Constance.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x158391

Just read it. These "kids" did this because they hated her. And they hated the attention their bigoted school drew to their town and their school.
There's no "acceptance" in that school. We do not ask too much of our generation. We ask too little.

Fortunately, there are stronger people than you to stand up to these bigots. People like Pam Spaulding.
http://pamshouseblend.com/diary/15769/ms-heterosonly-prom-attendees-lesson-from-the-blend-about-thinking-before-posting-on-facebook

[quickesst]

11. "Fortunately, there are stronger people than you to stand up to these bigots"

Respect your opinion even if it is meant to insult, but I am disappointed that you were not able to grasp the concept of my own. Thanks.
quickesst

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

12. Oh, I totally understood your opinion.

Let's see. First you said we shouldn't judge these "kids" because they chose to go to a private party. Then I informed you that the school supported it, and Mcmillen's fellow students lied to her about this "private party" (which was actually their real prom.)

They even bragged about it in Facebook, which if you actually bothered to follow the links I provided, you would see. And they even created a Facebook group called "Constance Quit your Cryin'". And you think we shouldn't judge them for that. Really? Not judge them for admitting their bigotry?

I think they've found their "identity" already. And it's one of bigotry.

Even your statement about how they "chose" to attend the private party instead of the "special prom" was proven to be false by their own admission.
The only way to stand up to bigots like these is to shine a light on cockroaches like them. Do you really think these kids...these kids who deliberately misled Constance because they wanted to hurt her. And then they bragged about it afterward.

You can stand over there and "hope" that things will get better for your grandchildren. If everyone just "hope" things will get better, we'd be waiting a very long time.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Do you have some backup that the school knew about or supported the private party?

If the larger event was a private party sponsored by parents without school involvement, there is no discrimination case. That the vast majority of people boycotted the official event in favor of the private party does not figure in either. If the school knew about it there was no affirmative duty to tell non invitees. Even if the school supported it directly in some manner, there would be a very limited cause of action since GLBT is not a protected class in that state. ADA may impact the last scenario, but even then sovereign immunity would apply. The suit being filed against the school is for the original cancellation, not the private party. Being lied to by your fellow students is also not illegal. The school could also screw themselves by allowing the yearbook, school paper etc to refer to the private party as the prom, but its doubtful they would be that dumb. The above is from a law school colleague. He tends to be pragmatic about such things.

I would like to see more information about how this got pulled off with such secrecy. High school kids can rarely keep a secret, particularly en masse. Also be interesting to know if the school gave refunds to those who chose not to attend and therefore had clear foreknowledge that at least *something* was happening.

The shame value of this may be the best we can hope for. There looks to be little that can be done legally after the fact. Its a good bet that some of the parent organizers had legal advice on how to keep themselves and their kids out of legal trouble. What the school does next year is the crux of the matter, a welcoming prom or none at all. We already know what some of the parents will do.

[fascisthunter]

22. well said

[quickesst]

27. OK ....

...Let me put this as simply as I possibly can. If there are one hundred students, and 99 of them choose to attend the "private" party, it is their goddamn choice. If they choose to brag about it on dumbass facebook, it is their goddamn choice. If you choose to attempt to "shine a light" on these students in the hope that you can shame them into becoming more enlightened, I submit that your attempts will be futile, and not such a great triumph if the sincerity is not genuine. I would rather have one student enlightened by the courage and strength of their own convictions than ninety-nine shamed into doing so. As for your statement: "Even your statement about how they "chose" to attend the private party instead of the "special prom" was proven to be false by their own admission.". WTF? You're trying to tell me they were forced to attend the private party, and were what?..intimidated into it, bribed to attend?...or threatened if they did not attend? Ok, I will concede that there may have been, I repeat, "MAY" have been parents, and or guardians, putting the concern for their own reputations in their community ahead of the welfare, and struggle for self identity of their children, but I doubt it was unanimous, or even a majority. "Love me or I'll beat the shit out of you" just doesn't work too well. Thanks.
quickesst

PS: The school's as yet unproven involvement has little to do with the choices made. Six students chose to be there for Constance. They are the ones you should be "shining the light" on for their integrity and courage.

[Dappleganger]

21. Agreed.

Those kids knew what they were doing and willingly lied to go along with the school's charade.

I hope this girl gets enough money to put her through college and let her open up her own business.

[Shell Beau]

24. Her college is paid for. She got a $30,000 check (I think that is the amount)

from some business when she went on the Ellen show, plus she has the opportunity to intern in NYC.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

25. Unfortunately that is most likely not illegal.

The current lawsuit against the school only address the cancellation of the original prom. Nothing has been filed yet about the disaster of the off campus "official" prom and the large "private party" most attended. Not clear if some of the details about who knew what and level of knowledge and involvement the school staff had will ever come out.

[iris27]

13. Sorry, try again. School resources went to set up that "private" prom, and the other six kids who

were there were also "outsiders" (disabled kids) who weren't told about the real prom...more victims of this school district's 1930's mindset, not merely proudly defiant kids standing up to bigoted convention.

[rhett o rick]

14. Sorry but I disagree. With that thinking we would still have segregation. We shouldnt need

laws to protect the minorities but in fact we do.

What I hear you saying is that if the majority of students dont want the gay couple to attend then they should have their way. What if they didnt want a black couple to attend or any other minority?

[muffin1]

23. +1,000,000 n/t

[rhett o rick]

26. Thanks muffin1. nm

[ProgressiveProfessor]

28. You are aware of dual proms and homecomings held in some schools in that region

In some cases it is the minority community who is continuing that tradition.

[EFerrari]

16. No. The "private" party was part of a deception.

There was no choice involved. It's indefensible by any measure.