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From my local paper
What type of message does this send? Gee
just because you feel the way you do and we don't and won't understand it then you really don't matter and neither do your feelings. If you don't conform then your not the norm
By Monica Polanco
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Sherrell Ingram has too much in common with her chosen high school prom guest: They're both girls.
A policy at Lago Vista High School prohibits students attending the prom from buying tickets for guests or dates of the same sex.
"It's supposed to be a special night that you're supposed to share with people you like to be around," said Sherrell, a 16-year-old junior. "If they're setting limits on who you can and can't bring just because of their sex, it's not going to be great anymore. It's not going to be special."
When Ingram's mother asked for an explanation, she said a teacher told her that officials were afraid that there could be trouble at the prom if male students brought male friends who don't attend the school.
Ginger White said she told Principal Donna Larkin that the policy was discriminatory, but that Larkin refused to rescind the rule.
Now, a civil liberties group has asked Larkin to reconsider the policy and has threatened to sue if Larkin doesn't repeal the rule by Friday. The prom is May 15, four days after Sherrell's 17th birthday.
"I think a policy like this is something so exceptional -- in most schools in this country, a student who is a junior or senior gets to chose who to bring to the prom," said Judith Schaeffer, deputy legal director of People for the American Way. "In either case, the proms go on just fine. The sky doesn't come crashing down. The idea that a lawyer had to get involved here is really very sad."
Barbara Qualls, Lago Vista's school superintendent, declined to comment, citing the threat of litigation. Larkin could not be reached for comment.
Sherrell Ingram, who helped organize the prom, noticed a sign detailing the rule against same-sex prom ticket purchases last month, just as her mother was about to buy her and her best friend tickets. Sherrell and the girl have been best friends since the sixth grade, when Sherrell moved to Texas. Sherrell said she is not a lesbian, but has gay friends and thinks the policy discriminates against them.
"I was like, 'Whoa, Mom, read this,' " Sherrell said. "Isn't that illegal?" she recalled asking her mother, who works in the school cafeteria.
White, a single mother of four who describes herself as an opinionated person, began asking questions. She learned that Sherrell's friend could attend the prom if a boy bought her ticket. She thinks the school implemented the policy after an openly gay student attended a homecoming dance in September.
"I'm an emotional person, so I didn't take it very well," White said. "I told her I would take care of it. I'm doing what I can by my means."
White called Schaeffer, who sent Larkin a four-page letter explaining why People for the American Way thinks the policy is discriminatory. The rule violates a federal law, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans any federally funded education program from discriminating on the basis of a person's sex, according to the letter, dated Monday.
The letter also says the policy violates the constitutional rights of the school's gay and lesbian students.
"As an educator, you should be doing everything you can to make gay students feel less threatened in their schools and communities, not adopting policies such as this that are so harmful to them and that send the message to them that they are second-class citizens," the letter states.
If the principal were afraid that outside male guests would cause trouble at the prom, she could hire security, the letter claims. The policy's logic is flawed because it allows the presumed troublemakers -- boys who don't attend the school -- to attend if they were invited by a girl, the letter adds.
White said she has been through four proms at the school and is not aware of any problems associated with those parties. Sherrell said she has not been able to find a boy who would buy her friend's ticket, even if Sherrell paid for it.
"If the school doesn't change their policy, she will not be able to come," Sherrell said.
Still, the prom must go on. Sherrell considers the prom her birthday present. She hasn't bought her dress yet, but she has her eye on a black dress adorned with white flowers along the back and the bodice.
Sherrell said her family will not drop the issue if the policy is not changed by next year's prom. She has a younger sister, Channelle, a sophomore.
"If they have the same policy next year, we'll be going through the same thing," Sherrell said.
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Sherrell Ingram has too much in common with her chosen high school prom guest: They're both girls.
A policy at Lago Vista High School prohibits students attending the prom from buying tickets for guests or dates of the same sex.
"It's supposed to be a special night that you're supposed to share with people you like to be around," said Sherrell, a 16-year-old junior. "If they're setting limits on who you can and can't bring just because of their sex, it's not going to be great anymore. It's not going to be special."
When Ingram's mother asked for an explanation, she said a teacher told her that officials were afraid that there could be trouble at the prom if male students brought male friends who don't attend the school.
Ginger White said she told Principal Donna Larkin that the policy was discriminatory, but that Larkin refused to rescind the rule.
Now, a civil liberties group has asked Larkin to reconsider the policy and has threatened to sue if Larkin doesn't repeal the rule by Friday. The prom is May 15, four days after Sherrell's 17th birthday.
"I think a policy like this is something so exceptional -- in most schools in this country, a student who is a junior or senior gets to chose who to bring to the prom," said Judith Schaeffer, deputy legal director of People for the American Way. "In either case, the proms go on just fine. The sky doesn't come crashing down. The idea that a lawyer had to get involved here is really very sad."
Barbara Qualls, Lago Vista's school superintendent, declined to comment, citing the threat of litigation. Larkin could not be reached for comment.
Sherrell Ingram, who helped organize the prom, noticed a sign detailing the rule against same-sex prom ticket purchases last month, just as her mother was about to buy her and her best friend tickets. Sherrell and the girl have been best friends since the sixth grade, when Sherrell moved to Texas. Sherrell said she is not a lesbian, but has gay friends and thinks the policy discriminates against them.
"I was like, 'Whoa, Mom, read this,' " Sherrell said. "Isn't that illegal?" she recalled asking her mother, who works in the school cafeteria.
White, a single mother of four who describes herself as an opinionated person, began asking questions. She learned that Sherrell's friend could attend the prom if a boy bought her ticket. She thinks the school implemented the policy after an openly gay student attended a homecoming dance in September.
"I'm an emotional person, so I didn't take it very well," White said. "I told her I would take care of it. I'm doing what I can by my means."
White called Schaeffer, who sent Larkin a four-page letter explaining why People for the American Way thinks the policy is discriminatory. The rule violates a federal law, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans any federally funded education program from discriminating on the basis of a person's sex, according to the letter, dated Monday.
The letter also says the policy violates the constitutional rights of the school's gay and lesbian students.
"As an educator, you should be doing everything you can to make gay students feel less threatened in their schools and communities, not adopting policies such as this that are so harmful to them and that send the message to them that they are second-class citizens," the letter states.
If the principal were afraid that outside male guests would cause trouble at the prom, she could hire security, the letter claims. The policy's logic is flawed because it allows the presumed troublemakers -- boys who don't attend the school -- to attend if they were invited by a girl, the letter adds.
White said she has been through four proms at the school and is not aware of any problems associated with those parties. Sherrell said she has not been able to find a boy who would buy her friend's ticket, even if Sherrell paid for it.
"If the school doesn't change their policy, she will not be able to come," Sherrell said.
Still, the prom must go on. Sherrell considers the prom her birthday present. She hasn't bought her dress yet, but she has her eye on a black dress adorned with white flowers along the back and the bodice.
Sherrell said her family will not drop the issue if the policy is not changed by next year's prom. She has a younger sister, Channelle, a sophomore.
"If they have the same policy next year, we'll be going through the same thing," Sherrell said.
What type of message does this send? Gee
just because you feel the way you do and we don't and won't understand it then you really don't matter and neither do your feelings. If you don't conform then your not the norm
Down with all bigots.
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