All Lance Sanderson (pictured) wants is to bring another boy to his school’s homecoming dance, but administrators won’t let him.
Sanderson is a senior at Christian Brothers High School, an all-boys Catholic prep school in Memphis. Last year, he says he spoke with an administrator about bringing a boy from another school to the dance. That administrator gave him permission, but has since left his position at the school.
Now, school officials have changed their tune.
Related: After Denying FTM Student Homecoming King Title, MI High School Does Away With Prom King + Queen
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“I was sitting down talking to one of the current administrators over the summer, and at the end of our conversation, I mentioned it, expecting him to say the same thing. And he had a very different response,” Sanderson tells the Memphis Flyer. “He mentioned a [gay] couple in Texas and said I was a lot like this one person and said that the guy’s boyfriend murdered him. It was a little rough.”
The school cited a policy against boys from other schools attending social functions as its reason for denying Sanderson’s request.
The official policy reads: “CBHS students may attend the dance by themselves, with other CBHS students, or with a girl from another school. For logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.”
According to Sanderson, that policy has been read over the school’s loudspeaker daily for the past week.
“The way they worded it is ‘for logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.’ I asked about it in a meeting [Tuesday] morning, and they said they didn’t want guys from our school getting into disagreements with guys from other schools,” Sanderson says.
The school’s marketing and communications director, John Morris, said it would not be releasing any comment over the matter… Perhaps for “logistical reasons”?
Related: High School Jock Comes Out By Slow Dancing With The Homecoming King
h/t: Raw Story
Jim White
smdh…facepalm.
Glücklich
Catholic High School in TN prohibiting same-sex dance dates? The hell you say!
Auxifur White Wolf Wolfgram
Smfh….
Cam
“The official policy reads: “CBHS students may attend the dance by themselves, with other CBHS students, or with a girl from another school. For logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.””
_______________________________
That may be their policy, but no court would sustain it. It is blatantly sexist. They are literally saying girls are well behaved and can come, but boys can’t because they will fight. “I’m guessing nobody from the administration has ever seen an episode of “Bad Girls Club”.
We get it school, you’re anti-gay, either admit that and use your status as a religious school to defend it, or allow him to bring his date, because if you try to defend that policy in court, you’re toast.
Sam Theman
Stupid. One thing I have learned since coming out in 1977 (yes boys and girls, Jesus was on the cross then), is that the Younger generation for the most thinks this is a non-issue anymore, and of itself course there are some that do as they were raised that way. It’s my generation and those older that keep perpetuating this hatred.
SeeingAll
He’s kind of a ham. He’s in a private Catholic school, what does he expect?
Giancarlo85
@SeeingAll: And one of your all knowing comments once again. Do you ever have anything insightful to add?
Cam
@SeeingAll: said… “He’s kind of a ham. He’s in a private Catholic school, what does he expect?”
______________________
BJ (Or under this new Screename, SeeingAll) That is the typical defense of the right wing bigot. Any time that anybody brings up an issue having to do with equality all of the bigots yell “Oh, they’re just trying to get attention.”
They said the EXACT same thing to that lesbian in high school who wanted to bring a date to her prom in Mississippi. You know, the Prom that they moved and didn’t tell her, or a few of the Special Ed kids where the new one was?
But lets just play your game and say that all this kid is doing is looking for attention. So what? If a policy is illegal, then it’s illegal and the reason anybody is fighting it is irrelevant. I didn’t hear any members of the GOP complaining that Kim Davis was just looking for attention.
TheAngryFag
Unfortunately this is what you get for attending a private, religious school. And while it is awesome to stand up to such blatant bigotry, the problem is not going away anytime soon because there is no incentive for it to go away. Parents are not pulling their kids out, the students themselves are not wanting out, so really what reason does this school have to change?
Kacper Krzysztof Sulak
I can’t even… I can’t even begin to even ‘can’t’.
onthemark
LOL, “logistical reasons.”
More like “for logistical reasons, boys may not stick their weenies into other boys.”
tricky ricky
what the hell did he expect? it’s a bloody catholic school! he knew damn well this wouldn’t be allowed.
aliengod
It’s a private Catholic school. Of course he can’t bring a guy to the dance. How is this surprising?
Dennis C. McGrath
Whose got a barn? Cue footloose.
SeeingAll
@aliengod: Yup, that’s it. No matter how much some of the posters here shriek about it. (And this kid thinks he has such problems that he takes it to the press??)
Cagnazzo82
So… his response is to run to the press in the hopes he’ll shame his *private school out of their policy? (*emphasis on private)
SeeingAll
@Cam: Yeah….but on the other hand, YOU actually believed that silly tale from Rick Jones in Utah.
SeeingAll
@Giancarlo85: You believed Rick Jones too, Evita.
Cam
@SeeingAll:
Hey look here is BJ’s (Seeing All’s) second favorite tactic, when somebody exposes him trying to defend the anti-gay bigotry, he tries to deflect the conversation onto some random other topic.
So again, about the fact that this private school has an illegal policy……. (Being a private school doesn’t exempt it from federal laws, it’s policy of yes girls, no boys is blatantly sexist).
SeeingAll
@Cam: It’s completely within the topic. You claim the conservatives always say someone is doing it for attention. Maybe some do. But you’re the polar opposite and just as silly : you’ll believe any story of any claim of anti-gay bigotry, no matter how questionable.
Avery Alvarez
“For logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend”
This is a surprise. A Catholic institution turning away boys and asking for girls?!?!?
SeeingAll
@Avery Alvarez: I know. Catholic boys are way hotter (hotter than Protestant and Jewish boys, too..)
Captain Obvious
Any posts about going into these churche and communities to educating ignorant whites about homophobia? No?
Any posts calling them rednecks and hicks? Nope…?
Not one post claiming they all hate gay people. Well golly.
White homophobes must be VIP homophobes because they’re never called out and receive no hateful and r@cist comments.
SeeingAll
@Captain Obvious: Those comments about the plane thing WERE over the line. But people DO say “hicks”, etc., a lot on this blog, re. Kim Davis stories and the like..
Robert Arlin Brown
Sign his petition! https://www.change.org/p/christian-brothers-high-school-let-lance-take-his-date-to-homecoming?recruiter=12763623&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg&fb_ref=Default
Cam
@SeeingAll:
BJ (Seeing All) You defend the anti-gay bigotry, and claim that this kid is just some ham looking for attention.
And once again BJ (Seeing All) will say or do anything to always defend anti-gay bigots.
SeeingAll
@Cam: I mean….Rick Jones claims the homophobe keeps breaking in and attacking him again and again and no one ever sees him ?? And you fell for THAT one? That was like a Phantom of the Opera story.
Billy Budd
Logistics is now the new slang for Bigotry.
Cam
@SeeingAll:
So once again BJ (Seeing All) living in his own little world.
But lets take a look at what you keep trumpeting about.
You automatically defend every right wing bigot against any claim that they are anti-gay and any time a gay person is attacked you automatically say that they are probably making it up.
So for the hundred or two hundred times this happened, one time you were right and it was fake, and that is the only think you can say to respond to anybody?
Good attempt to deflect, but again, in this story, you attack the gay kid, and defend the bigot. Maybe in another 5 years you’ll be right about another incident.
Valentina Vitale
If they allow him to go with “other students”, let’s see what would happen should he bring a boy FROM his school
Dakotahgeo
ACLU!!! Minimum of $3M lawsuit, taking into account lawyer’s fees, of course! AND, a reeducation for the school district, School Board, Faculty, annnnd… don’t forget the students! New procedures in the Student Handbook. Parents will never learn so let them whine uncontrollably and pass the cheese for them!
SeeingAll
@Cam: Once again, you live in a world of extremist kookiness that you only have the gumption to trumpet online. I’d love to see you go out in public and push that idea about changing the law that every crime against a gay person automatically deserves twice the punishment a crime against a hetero gets.
Bill Mountrey
“Christian” Brothers don’t sound very ‘christian.’
SteveDenver
Sounds more like the school doesn’t want any more homosexuals than the PRIESTS and STAFF.
Giancarlo85
@SeeingAll: What a fucking self serving asshole. You have no proof for anything you say, except your own mental delusions. I’m so sick of you. You think you know everything but you don’t know shit.
Giancarlo85
And I didn’t believe anyone. Stop trying to put words in my mouth you heterosexual homophobic bigot. Why the fuck are you on this site anyways, seeingnothing?
SeeingAll
@Giancarlo85: I should just link back to the Queerty article on the case (before he admitted he was a fake).
SeeingAll
@Giancarlo85: I’m going on vacation. You won’t have to see me for a whole month, Evita.
SeeingAll
@Giancarlo85: (You’ll probably secretly miss me…)
SeeingAll
@Bill Mountrey: I guess they’re Christian enough for this kid and his parents, since he’s staying there and they’re paying the high tuition.
Cam
@SeeingAll:
Nice attempt to change the topic and go off wandering.
The school has a policy that other girls, fine, other boys no, that is a violation. You attacked the gay kid, and defended the bigot.
As is usual with you.
SeeingAll
@Cam: You’re a loon. Double the punishment if the victim in any crime (even a robbery) is gay ?? Kook.
SeeingAll
People come out of the closet in Africa and risk their lives. I’m supposed to feel outraged about this spoiled brat, who CHOOSES to go to that expensive Catholic school ??
twinkie1cat
Too bad he is not in public school. But if the private receives federal funds (Title 1, Free lunch, etc) they might have to come off the discrimination. However, most likely discrimination is one of the penalties of his parents putting him in parochial school. He needs to e-mail Pope Francis since he just came out for the dignity of everyone. Maybe he could add this to one of his speeches while he is in America.
twinkie1cat
@SeeingAll: I have yet to hear of a child who has a lot of choice about where they go to school. A few do, but usually it is the parents’ choice, not the child’s especially when it comes to a restrictive religious school vs a public one that only has to follow state and federal laws, including anti bullying and anti discrimination ones. A system in Mississippi got in trouble a couple of years ago for not letting a lesbian wear a tux to prom.
SeeingAll
@twinkie1cat: So are his parents on his side or outraged that he went to the press with this story ? Must make living at home very strained if it’s the latter.
Joe Hamill
Fuckwits
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Glücklich: Exactly, I’m not even sure why someone that’s LGBT would want to attend a private Roman Catholic school?
Bisexual-Transwoman
@SteveDenver: The priests are ped0s not gay.
Daniel Quilter
Tell the school what you think about this – Email them here! http://www.cbhs-sacramento.org/#!visit/cj1y
Giancarlo85
@SeeingAll: You can’t link back to shit.
@SeeingAll: Good riddance, Benito.
Prove that this guy is fake. Or shut up. This is one of those times I’m in favor of censorship.
Finrod
@SeeingAll: Can we infer from your comment that you were an emancipated minor? Because 99% of minors go to the school that their parents choose for them and have no other options. Or can we just infer that you live under a bridge?
Giancarlo85
@Bisexual-Transwoman: You know… his parents probably made him go there.
Kevin J Desmond
The Homecoming Dance is for the students not the damn school board and teachers. Tenn is really full of alot of idiots .. just saying.
Mark Pointon
Wow he’s stunning
SeeingAll
@Finrod: The bridge. I’ll be under foreign bridges soon.
SeeingAll
@Bisexual-Transwoman: To be with his friends that went there, like why most kids want a particular high school over another. Really, that’s probably what it comes down to. And almost all Catholic schools get you accepted into colleges quicker.
SeeingAll
@Daniel Quilter: Yeah, they’ll really care what a bunch of bloggers from Queerty think.
Brian Johnson-Frazier
Yea… Cause all murderers are those damn evil gays. Drug dealers and gang members never hurt anyone because they are straight.
SeeingAll
REAL religious homophobes get crushed to death by the hundreds in haj pilgrimage stampedes. As to THIS silly case….? All this spoiled little Catholic brat deserves is a spanking.
Faye Denton
This doesn’t show well of that school.
SeeingAll
@Brian Johnson-Frazier: All drug dealers and gang members are straight ??
Bauhaus
@SeeingAll:
He deserves to go to the dance with a boy. YOU deserve the spanking!
SeeingAll
@Bauhaus: LOL. Maybe yes for both of those. (But neither of us is gonna get it).
youarekiddingme
Yea, the Priests bring their “boys” to their rooms and all this kid wants to do is bring a boy to a dance…not screw him in the middle of the church! Fuck their private, catholic school and f@ck their so-called rules! Clean up that church (starting with Pope Benedict/Ratzinger who resigned and stays in the Vatican to escape prosecution) and then they can start pretending to be a dignified organization!
James Sigmon
This is sad bring who you want and
Love . Remind them is us a free us to be who you are .
onthemark
@SeeingAll: If you really want a spanking, SeeingEyeDog, no doubt you can find one! If not on vacation, then at Seeing Eye Dog school.
Ken Overholt
I’d be more worried about the murderous straights.
jwtraveler
The Pope’s here now. Since he has now become the savior of the gays, Lance should get him to talk to the school.
I don’t think the law will help. Religious institutions seem to have the freedom to do whatever they want, short of murder.
inbama
I’m surprised the Christian Brothers are still allowed to run schools.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/dark-history-of-hidden-horrors-the-christian-brothers-order-has-finally-been-forced-to-face-their-secret-sins/story-fni0cx4q-1226912574686
SeeingAll
@onthemark: My eyesight is good enough to say Lance Sanderson looks more like one of the kids I see walking through Brooklyn wearing a yarmulke than one at a Catholic school in Memphis.
Finrod
@SeeingAll: Well, thanks for at least outing yourself as an antisemite.
Dan Steele
He doesn’t care about people’s being against him. He just wants to enjoy his life. He also wants the dance to end to enjoy the after party.
GayEGO
How terrible in this day and age there are school leaders that lie about gays and I believe Pope Francis needs to contact this school administration and educate them about their failure to be loving and inclusive.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@jwtraveler: This pope is not for LGBT rights at all. Do you actually believe this bigoted pope would go to the deep south and speak at a small private Catholic school just for one student? If you do you’re delusional.
Billysees
@TheAngryFag:
” …the problem is not going away anytime soon because there is no incentive for it to go away. ”
I think that sums it up, but only ‘for the time being’.
stranded
@SeeingAll: I’m on your side on this as well. This kid is out and unashamed which is wonderful. I think the worst of it, is that he asked, was given permission, and then it was revoked. That is really fucked up. But this is a private school. They make up their own rules on certain things. Even if it’s discriminatory, i still think it’s their right. If this were a public school i’d be behind this kid 100%. But as a private school, i say, bare with it little buddy. Go stag with a bunch of friends, or take a female friend. Hopefully you’re boyfriend goes to a public school and you can go to prom with him and have that experience with him there.
StefHafwen
I went to a All Girl Catholic School and boys are strictly prohibited from the campus. Hanging out with guys (even if that’s your brother or cousin) in the school uniform is also against the school rule.
Nahald
@Sam Theman: Stupid. One thing I have learned since coming out in 1977 (yes boys and girls, Jesus was on the cross then), is that the Younger generation for the most thinks this is a non-issue anymore, and of itself course there are some that do as they were raised that way. It’s my generation and those older that keep perpetuating this hatred.
EXACTLY… the younger generation could care less who’s gay or straight, as long as they are having a good time.