Hotel owner offers prom for Mississippi students

[kpete]

Source: KSNT

Hotel owner offers prom for Mississippi students

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A hotel owner in New Orleans is offering to host a prom for seniors at a Mississippi high school.

The school's own prom was canceled after an 18-year-old lesbian student said she wanted to take her girlfriend, and wear a tux. The ACLU demanded that school officials change their policy against same-sex prom dates. And it said the district violated Constance McMillen's free expression rights by not letting her wear a tux.

McMillen is asking a federal judge to force the school district to reinstate the dance.

Meanwhile, New Orleans hotel owner Sean Cummings is offering to take the students to New Orleans by bus, and host a free prom at one of his properties.

He tells a Jackson newspaper (The Clarion-Ledger) he's disappointed with the school board's decision -- and that high school should be concluded on a "joyful" note.



Read more: http://www.ksnt.com/news/national/story/Hotel-owner-offers-prom-for-Mississippi-students/AMhgU-R5RkWdBhE92M2ZDA.cspx

[mikelgb]

1. nice guy

[unc70]

2. Is the lesbian student included?

Just wanting to be sure. None of the articles have stated one way or the other.

[SoapBox]

3. My question as well...

[Tempest]

5. It's doubtful he would make the offer if she wasn't

No business, especially in New Orleans, would want the negative publicity if she wasn't invited.

In fact, I'm willing to bet he extends to her VIP treatment.

[EFerrari]

12. Yes. I called the reporter to confirm. n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

15. Its seems that they are. If you read down towards the bottom the hotel

owner said he was disappointed of the school board decision and he said high school prom should be a happy ending.

[EFerrari]

4. Itawamba is clear up in the north east corner of MS. I was just looking

at a map to see what was in that area. I wonder how long a drive that would be.

These school district people should be ashamed of themselves for inserting this stress and disappointment into this class's last weeks in high school. What a horrible send off. If they work this out with this hotel owner or with someone else, I wish we could put something together for flowers or whatever, to show these kids that they have support in the real world. :grr:

[Tempest]

6. It's about a six hour drive

But he's paying for the transportation.

Maybe we should put together a fund raiser to help pay for the hotel rooms.

[EFerrari]

7. Even if we asked a bunch of people for only $1 and a short message

of goodwill, that would be a nice gesture of support.

[catrose]

10. Let's do

Give them the best. prom. ever.

I'd make the flower corsages/bouts myself--I'm only the next state away--but I could get arrested in Louisiana for unlicensed floriculture.

[Tempest]

16. I've emailed the ACLU offering to fund raise

The email I sent to the ACLU:

There is interest from the progressive community at Democratic Underground (democraticunderground.com) in fund raising for Constance and her classmates to assist paying for hotel rooms in New Orleans after Sean Cummings, the owner of a hotel chain in the New Orleans area offered to host the prom and provide transportation to New Orleans for the students.

If Mr. Cummings’ offer is accepted, please contact myself and Mr. David Allen ([e-mail] ) to assist in making this year’s prom for the class of Itawamba County Agricultural High School one to remember.

Others are interesting in supporting Constance as well (http://www.tonic.com/article/lets-throw-constance-mcmil... /).


Sincerely,

[EFerrari]

18. Here is an org that is mediating, check 'em out!

I got their name from the reporter at the Clarion Ledger, Chris Joyner:

http://mssafeschools.org/

Second Chance Prom

Constance McMillen was denied the opportunity to attend prom with her girlfriend.
Press Release

Unfortunately this story is all too familiar in Mississippi. The ACLU of Mississippi is working with Constance to get the official school prom reinstated. But if you are interested in donating to a second prom for Constance, the other students at Itawamba High, and the ongoing efforts of the MSSC to make sure LGBT students in MS are protected and treated with dignity in the future, please click on the link below.

NOTE: To earmark money for the MSSC's work please put "MSSC" in the "Why are you donating?" field or email Jennifer Carr at [e-mail] after donating.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=26771

The MSSC is organizing its Second Chance Prom, this year in Constance's community, so that ALL students, gay and straight, at Itawamba will have the opportunity to be themselves at the prom. We thank you very much for your support! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.


* * *

I asked Matthew, the media person, to put me on his email distrib list.

gmta! Keep me in the loop! :hi:

[Tempest]

20. Awesome news, thanks for the link

I hope this is a wake-up call for Fulton and they vote out the entire school board at the next election.

[EFerrari]

21. I was thinking that we could do something once it is decided

where the prom will take place. Or, we can ask Skinner for permission to raise a few bucks, put it into a paypal account but wait until the plans are finalized to send the funds + a good wishes thread. :party:

And, it's not *if* any more! :woohoo:

I'll PM you with any info I get.

[Xithras]

17. It would be nice if someone in a closer major city would step up.

Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Jackson...even Atlanta are all closer to Itawamba than New Orleans.

[EFerrari]

19. Per the MS Safe Schools Coalition, a LOT of offers are coming in.

:hi:

[Sgent]

24. Atlanta is only marginally closer

probably 15 minutes difference or so.

Otherwise I agree with your sentiment.

[droidamus2]

8. Part of the problem

This is no way meant to be a blanket indictment of school administrators but for too many of them it becomes more about them and their power than it is about the kids. This sounds like a case of principal and a school board that don't like the fact that one of 'their students' stood up to them and wouldn't back down. These are the kind of people that run schools that think all students, no matter how good their point, should be subservient to authority at all times. Yes, there has to be some level of control or a school could get out of hand (some do) but they are supposed to be part of the kids learning to be adults and think for themselves.

Through the years I have seen and heard about many administrators like these that don't want do address the particular question 'gay students' or in my years 'anti-Vietnam protests' so they try to redirect the focus. 'oh this is disruptive to education so we will cancel the prom and make this student an outcase in the final weeks of her senior year but rest assured it isn't about her and her ''friend'' ' (in my case they threatened the leaders of the anti-war protest with arrest because they used the schools copy machine to make flyers but refused to address the implications for the students free speech rights).

[LeftHander]

9. This school district didn't want to pay for the event insurance....

Security, staff over time...etc.. to put this on...so they scapegoated the gay girl...so they wouln't take the heat for cancelling prom.

Now the majority of people, parents and many students are blaming this gay girl for thier loss of prom.

sickening.

[EFerrari]

13. She's got 56K following on Facebook, more than 5k signatures at

her petition and this anti-bullying org stepped in to help out:

Second Chance Prom

Constance McMillen was denied the opportunity to attend prom with her girlfriend.
Press Release

Unfortunately this story is all too familiar in Mississippi. The ACLU of Mississippi is working with Constance to get the official school prom reinstated. But if you are interested in donating to a second prom for Constance, the other students at Itawamba High, and the ongoing efforts of the MSSC to make sure LGBT students in MS are protected and treated with dignity in the future, please click on the link below.

NOTE: To earmark money for the MSSC's work please put "MSSC" in the "Why are you donating?" field or email Jennifer Carr at [e-mail] after donating.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=26771

The MSSC is organizing its Second Chance Prom, this year in Constance's community, so that ALL students, gay and straight, at Itawamba will have the opportunity to be themselves at the prom. We thank you very much for your support! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

http://mssafeschools.org/ (Sorry, no permalink)

Looks like the cavalry is up and moving. :)

[Tempest]

22. It's up to 86,000 now

It keeps growing by the minute. It grew by 500 people from the time I first signed into Facebook to the time I added myself to her fan list.

[EFerrari]

23. LOL! That's so beautiful.

:)

[Bette Noir]

11. That's a lovely gesture.

I hope the students take him up on it.

[Jennicut]

14. Nice gesture, good man.

Poor girls should never have been scapegoated like this. Disgusting.

[Vidar]

25. Kudos to Mr. Cummings! An expense-paid prom in New Orleans would be

a lot more memorable for the students than one at their bigoted high school.