Gay teens misled about real prom?

[cal04]

Girl in school lawsuit attends dance with just a few others
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36178446/ns/us_news-life/


Constance McMillen, the Mississippi teen suing her high school over a ban on same-sex couples attending the prom, thought the worst might be over when the school agreed to a private dance to be held off school property. But when she and her date arrived at the Fulton Country Club on Friday night, they found only seven other students.

"She didn't stay very long because of the sparse attendance," Kristy Bennett, her legal counsel, told msnbc.com.

"We've heard there was another event out in the county," said Bennett, legal director for the Mississippi branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"We're still trying to get more information," she said, citing a newspaper report last week in which one student was quoted as saying other parties were in the works.

The ACLU is representing McMillen in a lawsuit against the Itawamba County School District and Bennett said that at the very least the sparsely attended dance "will be brought to the court's attention."

[FBaggins]

1. I don't understand.

I mean... I get the original complaint... but in this case is the school supposed to guarantee a certain attendance level? Should other kids be forced to attend to make her happy?

[joeybee12]

2. Yeah, you REALLY don't understand...it appears as if Constance and

her date, along with a few others, were lied to about the real location of the prom...send her there so she can't go to the real one.

[FBaggins]

7. Does the article say that this happened?

That there was a "real" prom somewhere else?

I can't imagine how you would pull that off... don't schools post the prom information all over the place?

[joeybee12]

8. Gee, I guess the headline doesn't say that or imply that...

Yeah, it does...and do a quick search for another article about this...there is a strong indication the school was behind those "other parties." I don't undesrtand your initial reaction.

[FBaggins]

11. Gee... I guess a question mark doesn't mean what it used to.

It simply asked the question. I've seen some speculation that there may have been another party, but I haven't seen it reported anywhere. Speculation about who might be "behind" an event that we don't yet even know happened is premature.

What I DO remember being reported just days ago was that the students had worked this out ("So they finally took matters into their own hands, hurriedly booking their own student-sponsored prom at the Fulton Country Club. It will be held this Friday, and McMillen has been told she is welcome to attend with whomever she wants. She plans to come.")

http://gwcommonwealth.com/articles/2010/04/01/opinion/editorials/04012010edit01.txt

I don't undesrtand your initial reaction.

It's really pretty simple. A government agent (the school and/or county) discriminating against a kid for who she is... isn't acceptable. A kid finding out that other kids might not like her... is part of life. It sucks, but it isn't grounds for government intervention or a lawsuit.

I was just trying to find out which it was.

[iris27]

12. There was a real prom elsewhere, yes.

http://nmisscommentor.com/2010/04/04/what-happened-at-constance-mcmillans-prom

There is a legacy of this...some schools in MS, GA, and AL *still* hold racially-segregated proms to this day.

[Posteritatis]

15. Link doesn't work. (nt)

[Initech]

13. Oh that would be just fucking wrong if proven to be true.

[Dappleganger]

14. That's just lower than dog shit.

I can't believe those people are actually in charge of educating impressionable minds.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. I think the question is whether or not the school held 2 proms. It would

be different if someone else sponsored an alternative dance (not nice, but not a real issue in terms of the school.)

[FBaggins]

16. I agree... that's what I was trying to get to.

Is this "not nice" or a legal/policy issue.

[LeftyMom]

4. It sounds like another prom was organized to avoid having to invite her.

[Renegades of Funk]

5. Kids are cowards

Whoever decided not to show up, because there would be a gay teen their is a homophobic coward.

[Posteritatis]

10. The school actively misled a few students about where the prom would be. (nt)

[happyslug]

6. Duplicate subject,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4332571

[csziggy]

9. I wish I could pay for her partner and her to come to the Ctrl Alt Prom

Here in Tallahassee this Friday as the opener for PrideFest 2010:
Ctrl Alt Prom, A Prom Alternative
Florida State University, Oglesby Union Ballrooms (map)
Friday, April 9, 2010, 7pm - 11pm
Hosted in conjunction with Florida State University’s PRIDE Student Union, giving every couple, same-sex or not, a chance to have another prom dancing with the partner of their choice.

http://www.tallahasseepride.com/images/events/pdfs/prom.pdf