It wasn’t just that Constance McMillen wanted to wear a tux and bring a girl as her date that led Itawamba County School District to cancel their prom. Administrators were also worried about kids spiking the punch and snorting coke in the bathrooms!
Testifying at a hearing yesterday,
Schools Superintendent Teresa McNeece and school board Chairman Eddie Hood testified that they had discussed not sponsoring the prom even before McMillen challenged a rule that prohibits same-sex dates. They said they had concerns about liability problems, including possible use of alcohol and drugs at a school-sponsored event. But they also said they decided to call off the April 2 prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School because McMillen’s challenge to the rules had caused disruptions. “We were being hounded every day. Our students were being hounded,” McNeece said. “We were having a tough time of any bell-to-bell instruction.”
Also being hounded? Principal Trae Wiygul, who says “he had been ‘bombarded’ with e-mails, most from people criticizing the district’s decision. ‘I’ve been called every name known to man,’ Wiygul said. ‘I’ve been called a bigot and homophobic.'”
It’s as if he now has some inkling about what teens like Constance go through every day.
(NB: Meanwhile, Georgia high schooler Derrick Martin, who asked to bring a dude to his April 17 prom, has gotten the OK.)
terrwill
Derrick Martin: You are my hero! I wish I had your balls in High School………….
Jason
Why do they have to get someone permission to bring a date to the prom?
Sam
@Jason: If you read the linked news piece, you’ll see that Derrick had to ask permission because any date from outside the school has to be approved in advance. Constance asked permission because her school had a policy that all dates must be of the opposite sex.
jeffree
Gee, if the Principal acts like a bigot or homophobe, why should he be surprised 2 get called out on it! Newsflash Mississippi: the world saw what you did & how you behaved. We judge you like u judge us! Your agricultural high school will not be forgotten 4 its hatred & narrow mindedness. We will continue to watch you. Constance now has a college scholarship & is a nationally recognised person. The rest of your grads will be lucky to score jobs @ the Taco Bell or Walmart. Of course, if they leave the County or state they will have to lie about where they went 2 school because they will be viewed as hateful, ignorant & backward.
Good luck trying to defend yourselves now!!
B
Odd. I sent an email to [email protected] which is
supposed to be the address for the superintendent for Itawamba schools. I did not call anyone a bigot or a homophobe or even an idiot. Rather, I suggested that they managed to make themselves look ridiculous to a national, if not wider, audience, and that it reflects badly on the U.S. as a whole – it’s such stupidity, after all, that gets reported in the news, not the behavior of sensible people.
The U.S. is already a laughing stock regarding its sexual hangups. The last thing we need is some yokels confirming it.
Molly
I go to school with Constance. We don’t have to get permission to bring a date to prom…That’s what everyone down here doesn’t understand. If she really just wanted to bring her girlfriend to prom, she would have had a guy friend get her in then they could dance and whatever all night long. Why go to the principal and tell him you are bringing a girl if you know you can’t? Obviously this has all been about getting attention not just bringing her girlfriend to prom. Her girlfriend by the way, broke up with her weeks ago because she knew Constance was just doing all of this for the media attention. AND it was the girlfriend NOT constance who wanted to wear the tux. I personally believe anyone should be allowed to go to prom and bring who they want regardless of sexual orientation but Constance is just doing this for media attention.