I think this crazy. I think students can bring any date that the want if they are paying their money. This is very unfair to the other students also.

i feel as if though every person as an individual should love and be with whoever they want to. i don't think there should be a punishment but since there us one, they should just punish the girl and not the entire shool. What is the one thing that the seniors have been waiting for the past three almost four years? PROM! But maybe society isn't ready to accept same sex relationships. only time will tell.

Sure, Schools should be forced to cater to any student whims under the right of free expression. I understand a local farm boy who isn't too good looking wants to bring his female sheep to the prom to insure that he can be assurred of scoring later in the evening. Yes, there should be no limits. A 17 year old should be allowed to bring an 8 year old child if said child is willing. Lets let all moral consturcts be pushed aside, because peoples rights regardless how deviant they may be are more important.

Many state and local measures protect gay and lesbian workers from discrimination in the workplace. However, there are no overt aspects that protect "students" from such discrimination, that said, there are no policies in place, which effectively state that they can be discriminated against.

In Fulton, Mississippi, the school district is trying to utilize the "distractions to the educational process" argument, in order to address this matter. As we all know, this is red herring argument. In order to prevent allowing this young lady to attend with her partner, which is none of the school districts business, they're effectively canceling the prom to make this young lady out to be a social pariah.

Sad, but true, bigotry and intolerance is alive and well in the Great State of Mississippi.

Get over it, allow the teens to have their moment in the Sun.

Contact the State/Federally funded school, and let them know either way, how you feel.

11900 Old Highway 25
Fulton, MS 38843-8447
(662) 862-5749

Give 'em hell young lady, stand up for what you believe in.

"Gays Take School District Hostage To Push Agenda"

This was a rule at my high school too. Of course, mine was a bad example, as I went to a private, Catholic, all girls school. (Which looks increasingly like a prison and is located on Edison Hwy, in case you're wondering.)

If this young lady knew they were going to cancel the prom was she that selfish to let them cancel the entire function. She made her point but destroyed the rest of the children's prom. Now, they wonder why the kids are into lesbian and gay bashing? Does money bring back the dreams of the kids attending the prom? What a selfish mixed up young lady.

We could have something similar in BCPSS. We have a dress code for proms and girls are definitely NOT allowed to wear tuxedos. Our principal would not permit same sex couples unless they are in the same grade and could go separately. I really don't see how Baltimore is much different that Alabama. We preach tolerance but don't practice it.

At last ! I have something to be proud about Mississippi for.

None that I know of. Now Mississippi...not surprising. After all, some people have to have someone to hate. I read that the kids are moving the dance and including all.

This same school district was sued by the ACLU for their practice of morning prayer because it made someone uncomfortable. Now, the ACLU wants to sue to allow a female student to wear a tuxedo and bring her girlfriend to the prom although that will no doubt make some other students uncomfortable. Hypocrisy at its finest. Either we are tolerant or we are not ... can't have it both ways.

I would imagine that the Catholic schools would not allow their students to bring dates of the same sex to their proms, although I do not know from personal experience. I went to a BCPSS school and same sex dates were allowed.

Well, this is just ridiculous!
The school districts are cancelling prom because of a couple of people!

If there aren't there should be rules against this practice in the state of Maryland. When will America come to her senses on this matter.This is a non reproductive life style so therefore shouldn't be promoted as an wise choice for young people. Nero fiddle while Rome burned.

While I'm shocked by the bigotry, hate and ignorance of some of these comments, the issue is that it's not a school's job to set any kind of politics, nor is it a school's right to discriminate. I think the ACLU has an easy case.

Every year, the ACLU receives calls from across the nation from students whose schools have told them that they cannot bring a same-sex date to the prom or that they must wear prom clothing that conforms to traditional gender norms.

Policies such as these, which exclude LGBT students from participating fully in school life, are not only prejudicial, they are illegal.

In Fricke v. Lynch, a federal court ruled that a policy excluding same-sex couples from proms or school dances violates the right to free expression guaranteed by the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Other decisions have found that it constitutes improper gender discrimination for schools to mandate that girls wear dresses, as opposed to other appropriately formal attire.

Finally, and most importantly, Maryland law explicitly prohibits public schools from discriminating against students based on their sexual orientation, and barring same-sex couples from a prom is clearly discriminatory treatment.

The ACLU is interested in hearing from anyone who knows of such incidents of discrimination in Maryland. Contact us at 410-889-8555 or aclu@aclu-md.org

To Simply Someone - there are two things wrong with your argument. 1) Marriage is not just about reproduction - it's about tax benefits, legal protections, and a civil recognition of commitment. If marriage was just about making babies, then people who are sterile, people with reproductive issues, and old people wouldn't be allowed to get married. 2)Gay people can have children, and can adopt - i know several children that come from same sex families that are loving, stable and proud.

To Kerri Conner - I would argue that a school sanctioned morning prayer is intolerant, because it imposes the religious views of the majority. I think the best way for a school-wide expression of faith is for it to be voluntary, inclusive and non-denominational, which it doesn't sound like this was.

To Laurence Smith - Same sex relationships cannot be equated to bestiality or child molestation. Period. It's not the same thing, for many reasons. I encourage you to talk to gays and lesbians, their family members and their children and learn more about who they are, and the moral and religious conflicts LGBT people deal with on a constant basis.

In listening to interviews with the student, it doesn't seem like she's responsible for canceling prom. She's stated that she tried to negotiate with the school - ultimately they made the choice to cancel the kids' prom, because excluding the student would have been a clear-cut case of discrimination. She stood up for herself, and it really sucks that she and everyone else at the school is being punished for it.

Also - anyone who's been to a Baltimore City prom recently knows that a girl wearing a tux is really the least provocative thing on the dance floor...

It's great to see how a post on some fruit loops from MS can stir up all sorts of comments. I'm sad we can't have a post about the end of the Consent Decree and see if that might generate some more thoughtful comments.

Oh well, on this topic I've got to say I agree with Wise Educator. Was it Star Trek or the Bible that said "And the children shall lead"? Maybe if the chaperones could get over themselves this would be less of an issue. In my experience with high schools (as a student and as a parent), the kids really don't have an issue with LGBT.

Yes kiara stephens-brown:
and when the first black student wanted to come to prom those same really absurd arguments were used. Time to change the boilerplate on your keyboard honey.
Can we grow as Americans, secure in our small mindedness and just say instead of "bring his female sheep to the prom" I'm a bigot? Say it loud, say it proud. It's who you are. Don't hide! Come out of the closet sister!!

Today in McMillan vs. Itawamba County School District U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson ruled against compelling the school district to hold the canceled prom. Among the Judge's considerations were that the parents have sponsored a prom that will be open to all students and that “the Court cannot go into the business of planning and overseeing a prom.”

The court kept the case active and Ms. McMillen “will be permitted to amend her Complaint to seek compensatory damages and any other appropriate relief,” the Court said.

That said, the Court conceded that Constance's First Amendment rights had been violated citing the Fifth Circuit that "the choice to wear clothing as a symbol of an opinion or cause is undoubtedly protected under the First Amendment if the message is likely to be understood by those intended to view it."

The School Board had argued that the prom would “disrupt its ability to govern local schools and provide and manage a public education program for all students."

The Court concluded that there was no “evidence that hosting the prom or allowing Constance to attend in a tuxedo with her girlfriend has or will disrupt Defendants' ability to govern local schools or its education program.”

Judge Davidson was nominated by Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the Senate in 1985

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/court-rules-mississippi-school-violated-first-amendment-rights-lesbian-student

Court Rules That Mississippi School Violated First Amendment Rights Of Lesbian Student

Alternative MSSC Prom Open To All Students Will Be Held May 8