Constance McMillian Not Invited to Makeshift Prom

[Redmage]

But as you said, a lot of facts were withheld from the original story.

Enquiring minds want to know!

Enquiring minds should try Google. No essential information was withheld; you just have to look for it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/lesbian-prom-date-ban-vio_n_510887.html

Constance has been openly gay since 8th grade. As for this specific case...

"McMillen first approached school officials about bringing her girlfriend in December, and again in February. Same-sex prom dates had been banned in the past, but she had hoped school officials would grant her request.

"'I thought maybe the policy had been in place for a different reason,' McMillen testified at a hearing on the ACLU lawsuit. 'I wanted to let them know how it made me feel. I felt like I couldn't go to the prom.'"

She opened this discussion with them 4 months ago, and tried several times to persuade them. Realistically, given the time it takes to get court action, she had to file suit by early March if she hoped to attend an event scheduled for April 2.

The school had plenty of time to think this over. They refused to change a policy that anyone can see denies equal rights. And so it came to this.

 

[Redmage]

For anyone interested: the Judge's preliminary ruling. It spells out what led up to the case, including Constance's attempts to seek compromise. For example:

• She offered to wear slacks and a nice shirt rather than a tuxedo. The district insisted she wear a gown.
• The district said that both girls could attend separately with male escorts, but that if they did then they would still not be allowed to dance with each other.
• The district stated that the girls would be "kicked out" if anyone expressed any discomfort with their presence.
• The district representative testified to the court that the district "never even considered" allowing the two girls to attend together, under any circumstances.

By the way, the judge did decline to force the district to hold the prom anyway, but he stated that in doing so he was relying on assurances given to the court that no one - not even Constance McMillen - would be barred from attending the alternative event being planned by parents.

 

[Master Baiter]

Homosexuals aren't a minority?

It's not? A lesbian is discriminated against, but it's not about discrimination?

Interesting. So, a straight boy could bring a girl to the dance, but she could not, and yet she and that boy were treated equally, you say?

How do you figure that?

I'm going to take a guess. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Your reasoning is that both the straight boy and the gay girl are forbidden from bringing a partner of the same sex to the dance, and so in that sense are exactly equal. Is that about right?

If so, then I have a question that I just know you won't like. Was it wrong when both blacks and whites were forbidden from dating people of the opposite race? If so, then why, since everyone was treated equally then too?

You're asking a whole lot of questions, but aren't really interested in anyone's opinion but your own.

And why should you when you're having a fine little conversation with yourself?!

It reminds of the crazy guy at the bus stop who wears a parka in the summer and collects cans in a grocery cart and mumbles to himself under his breath.

The whole thing ended up in a decision that didn't appear to satisfy anyone, much like our little thread here.

The bottom line is that neither side was willing to compromise at all, and the result was fitting: a tie.

 

[Redmage]

You're asking a whole lot of questions, but aren't really interested in anyone's opinion but your own.

What, no answers?

Color me shocked.

The bottom line is that neither side was willing to compromise at all, and the result was fitting: a tie.

Constance McMillen insisted that the school district give her equal rights. Not only should she not have to compromise on that, but there really wasn't much room to do so. She either went to the dance with her girlfriend, or she did not. There's not much middle ground there.

As the judge pointed out, this is a very clear First Amendment issue. The school was wrong. They refused to change their discriminatory policy, and canceled the dance because they knew full well that they couldn't win in court.

The school had all the power in this situation. They made the decisions that led to this outcome. Constance was simply asking for what she should have already had.

It sounds very fair-minded to say "both sides should have compromised." But it isn't really. It's simply an attempt to shift part of the blame for this situation to the person who was most directly wronged.