There will be no prom for the students of Itawamba Agricultural High School in Mississippi, because the school board has decided to cancel it. Why? Because 18 year old Constance McMillen has plans to bring a female date. So, in a display of seasoned maturity, they’re taking their ball and going home.
“Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events, the Itawamba County School District has decided to not host a prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School this year.” First of all, since when is a prom considered part of the educational process? Second of all, is it really that big a deal if two girls are dancing together? I don’t know if you’ve been a chaperone at a prom recently, but girls already tend to flock together and dance. Third of all, has anyone complained?
This is such a huge and obvious violation of a student’s rights it’s nearly unbelievable. Dan Savage, author of the referring article and famous for his column Savage Love, has taken the step of providing the names and contact information of the school’s administrative board, publishing them right in the article. He exhorts us all to “Keep it respectful, but let them hear from you (emphasis Savage’s).” The idea is to show the leaders of Itawamba Agricultural what a real distraction looks like.
Savage also points out that there is a possibility for McMillen’s safety to be in danger, as other students might blame her for the loss of their prom. This could be the beginning of something ugly. We’ll keep our eyes on it.
