Cancelled Prom

[Ben Willaert]

Why is it that in our society of supposed tolerance, we can discriminate so openly against gay and lesbian people?

On the front page of USAToday's website today I read about an arrest being made in the incident of a man announcing "all black people need to leave the store" in a Wal-Mart. The shoppers, Wal-Mart, the authorities, everyone is appalled by this racially biased comment, and as a result someone is facing criminal charges. Rightfully so. And then I read about a high school that announces no gay couples are allowed at their prom. A lesbian student objects insisting she be allowed to go with her girlfriend, so the school board cancels prom. In my logic it seems like the same thing, just replace black people with homosexuals. How we so blatantly show bias towards homosexuals is horrendous.

Hopefully years from now Mankato can have a elementary school named Constance McMillen along with Rosa Parks.

[Bob Jentges]

Originally Posted by Ben Willaert

Why is it that in our society of supposed tolerance, we can discriminate so openly against gay and lesbian people?

On the front page of USAToday's website today I read about an arrest being made in the incident of a man announcing "all black people need to leave the store" in a Wal-Mart. The shoppers, Wal-Mart, the authorities, everyone is appalled by this racially biased comment, and as a result someone is facing criminal charges. Rightfully so. And then I read about a high school that announces no gay couples are allowed at their prom. A lesbian student objects insisting she be allowed to go with her girlfriend, so the school board cancels prom. In my logic it seems like the same thing, just replace black people with homosexuals. How we so blatantly show bias towards homosexuals is horrendous.

Hopefully years from now Mankato can have a elementary school named Constance McMillen along with Rosa Parks.

In my opinion the Walmart incident was despicable!!

From what I have read about the prom situation it seems the school district had a prior policy that said prom dates must be of the opposite sex. Apparantly that policy was instutited with the acceptance of the community.

Maybe when the lesbian asked to bring her girl friend and wear a tuxedo the district thought she was flauting the districts authority and it was necessary to step-in and enforce their existing policy. Had the district not taken that position and word got around it is not beyond the realm of possibility that two gay fellows would have come as dates with one wearing a dress. Something like that may have made a farce of the prom for most of the students, even those who were not biased against homosexuals.

Educating students includes teaching them to respect existing policies, and if they do not approve of them try to change them in a in a peacefull, non-exploitive manner.

I think what the Superintendent and school board should do is get together and revise their policy. Why not allow homosexuals to attend the prom as dates, provided males dress as males and females dress as females?

[Ben Willaert]

I think I read somewhere that this policy was not published until she asked about bringing her girlfriend. Then the list of prom rules came out with the dates of opposite sex rule.

I agree with your dress code idea for the male side. Women have been wearing power suits for many years now. Asking them to refrain may be a sexist request.

[Bob Jentges]

Associated Press article today discussing the girl's suit against the school district. Discusses some of the testimomy before the Judge hearing the case. He says he expects to issue a ruling soon.

Will be interesting to follow.

http;//www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9EJRS8G0&show_article=1

[Ben Willaert]

I do understand that this is absolutely a hindrance to the education of these students. It’s too bad that a high school has to provide the stage to debate homosexual discrimination. It already shouldn’t be an issue. This type of bias has gone on long enough. It is not ok to exclude people because of their sexual orientation. Male, female, black, white, latino, gay, straight, young, and old should not be held against anyone. Ever.

[Bob Jentges]

Originally Posted by Ben Willaert

Male, female, black, white, latino, gay, straight, young, and old should not be held against anyone. Ever.

If there was any doubt from my earlier posts in this thread I am with you all the way on that, Ben.

And for the benifit of our friend Dan I will add Conservative, Republican and Libertarian.

[Bob Jentges]

In the "National Briefs" section of The Free Press this morning it said: "A Mississippi school district violated a lesbian student's rights by bamming her girlfriend to the prom, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, but he stopped short of forcing the district to hold the event."

I do not know if this ends the matter, but it might be best for all if it did.