It’s spring… which means beautiful flowers…beautiful weather… and beautiful dresses for prom!
Yes, it is PROM SEASON!
Except for juniors and seniors at Itawamba Agricultural HS in rural north Mississippi. Their prom has been cancelled.
Why?…because 18-year-old Constance McMillen wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date.
McMillen asked her school officials for permission to attend in both December and February, knowing that same-sex dates had been banned in the past. Itwamaba school officials responded,
“not hosting prom was the best decision ‘after taking into consideration the education, safety, and well being of our students.’”
Now, McMillen has had to skip at least one day of school because of harrassment from her peers, who blame her for the prom’s cancellation.
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This is such a violation of her 1st Amendment rights! I wonder if they would have cancelled prom if she wanted to go with her girlfriend “as friends” and kept her sexual orientation in the closet. This just makes me sick
When I read about this, I was infuriated! It’s not fair that they would cancel the school’s prom just because someone wanted to bring their girlfriend. It’s the same thing as two girls going as dates, which it is? I’m still surprised there hasn’t been over a million complaints, therefore putting prom back into play. This is a ridiculous situation and if I attended that school, word would be coming from me, and not nice words.
I think that it is stupid that they would not let her take her girlfriend. People look forward to prom all year, and spend a lot of money on tickets, dresses, and shoes. I think that who you take does not matter, becuase everyone is different. At least, tell them that they could not go, and not take it away from everyone. But it is dumb that they can’t accept other people for who they are just because they don’t have the same beliefs.
I think the prom should definitly not be canceled just because the girl wants to bring her girlfriend. Thats not fair to the rest of the school to cancel their fun night just because the school couldnt accept other people for who they are. What about all the people that have already spent so much money on the prom? The prom should definitly still go on!
When I read about this I felt so bad for everyone especially those girls. That is not fair they deffinetly should not have cancelled the whole prom and I think they should be able to go together. It is the girls taking the risk of how there fellow class mates will respond it is not the school’s problem.
I think that deciding the prom completely is ridiculous. I understand that cancellations have been made in the past but this is unacceptable in every way. If I attended this school I would be furious. I think it is completely unfair for the two girls and the entire school popultaion. Now the guirl is being harrassed and also has had to skip school because of this. I think they could have handled with this situation in a lot better way.
I do not think that it was right that the school cancelled prom but I do think that the judge made the right decision because it is the school district’s decision and they have the right to cancel it since it is a school event
I think she should be able to bring her girlfriend to her prom as her date because thats what she wants. I think no ones safety will be harmed if she brings another girl as her date, only homophobic people will have a stupid reason on why she should not bring her date to her prom. If someone is gay let them be, you cant change them because you think you have that right to or tell them who they should be. Everyone is different for a reason.
I think bringing a girl as your prom date doesnt work out well because they are the same sex. At the prom they will be doing things they should’nt be doing. So the school officials are doing the right thing by keeping students safe.So in this case the prom should be canceled.
I think that cancelling the prom was a mistake beause it punishes all of the students. McMillen has the right to bring whomever she wants to a dance. The cancellation also puts the spotlight on her and allows kids to get upset at her rather than upset at the administration.
I think that cancelling the prom was too extreme. It’s not fair to cancel the prom becuase of one person. This goes against what our country is about: having equal rights for everyone. She should have the right to bring anyone she chooses no matter what gender they are. Its also not fair because the administration is punishing everyone.
Thanks for the responses, PSH students! I agree, and think that it was a serious miscalculation on the side of the school administrators. Hopefully, students voices, like each of yours, will make the faculty at the school change their mind and put prom back on!
Have any of you guys experienced anything similar to this at your own school? If you can think of any examples, how did you deal with it? And how would you recommend Constance handle this problem?
In a time where gay marriage and gay rights are a pressing issue within the United States government today, it is understandable how a prom would be cancelled in a conservative rural Mississippi town. However, in no way does that make it any more justifiable and McMillen should have been able to bring whoever she wanted to the prom. Although it would seem more accepting in an urban environment, it is understandable of Mississippi’s strict rules, but it’s 2010 and by now, even conservative towns should realize that they are extremely restricting and limiting and yes, too old-fashioned. It’s also horrible how the school has exploited this issue and now the girl has to miss days of school due to harassment. The big picture of it all is that it’s not so much about the other students having to return their dresses and reschedule their night, but it’s about the fact that we are facing serious issues in a year and time where these issues should not even be debated. People can get refunds and other plans can be arranged, but McMillan may face consequences from others for the rest of her life—or at least while she remains in Mississippi. The fact of the matter is that McMillen should have been able to bring another girl to prom as her date, which is a mere and harmless thing that definitely could have been dealt with in a more appropriate fashion by both the community and school.
Thank all of you for your responses.
Food for thought. Several of you mentioned how this was an outrage and an infringement on this student’s rights. But the fact of the matter is that, due to several Supreme Court rulings, students have severely restricted first and fourth amendment rights.
You can be searched at any time if a teacher has “reasonable suspicion”, and schools punish you for what you say, or how you express yourselves.
There are arguments for and against, and we would like to hear them, or just your opinion.
I think that cancelling the prom was the wrong thing to do. I say this because its not fair just for the girl and her girlfriend/date but for the whole school. Prom is supposed to be a exciting and fun night for EVERYBODY, wheather your color, race, or sexually. I mean bringing the girls girlfriend wasn’t really gonna harm anyone or anything at the dance. Overall, I think the school took the punishment way to far.
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