The Itawamba County school district’s board in northern Mississippi decided this week to cancel its prom because of what they referred to as “recent distractions,” alluding to an 18-year-old high school senior Constance McMillen’s interest in bringing her girlfriend, also a student, to the dance. Apparently school policy requires that senior prom dates be of the opposite sex. Yeah rules like these still exist–talk about not treating all students equally.

McMillen along with the ACLU of Mississippi urged the district to change their policy arguing that banning same-sex prom dates violated McMillen’s constitutional rights. And what does the school do? They decide they would rather cancel the event for everyone than let in someone they feel is not worthy of participating because of her sexual preference. What a way to teach kids to hate gays and lesbians from the start! The worst part is that instead of supporting her against this blatant act of homophobia, McMillen said that her fellow students have been attacking her and even blaming her for ruining their senior year.

After the board’s decision, the ACLU filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Oxford to force the school district to sponsor the prom and allow McMillen to bring whom she chooses and wear what she wants. I look forward to the outcome of this lawsuit and am at least happy McMillen has some support in this ordeal although I wish it came from within her own community. McMillen’s case is a sad reminder that in many places throughout this country, children and young people are not taught to accept each other’s differences and respect them. I wonder when we as a country will change our mindset but when the majority of states won’t even recognize same sex marriage, it seems that we still have a long way to go before we can even approach the Bible Belt.

Associated Press: Lesbian teen sues over prom flap; back at school

Tags: aclu of mississippi, Cancel prom, Constance McMillen, Gay and Lesbian rights, Itawamba County, Northern Mississippi, treat students equally