MedicCook
05-07-2008, 04:05 PM
ACLU Denounces Gay Student's Prom Ban
AMITE, La. -- A principal banned a gay student from a prom, claiming fears of violence, and raised the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board heard a complaint about the incident Tuesday.
Jeanelle Ard, 17, a Loranger High School junior, told the school board that the principal would not allow her friend to bring a female date to the prom Saturday because the friend and the female date are of the same gender.
Ard told the board that when she asked about the decision, the principal, who is Billie Theriot, said it was made for protection from bullying, fights and riots.
“We don’t refuse students from other schools as long as they are a date of one of our students," Theriot said during an interview. "I did refuse a guy who came under false pretenses and I asked him to leave and he did. I don’t want potential behavior problems.”
Ard said students must submit forms if they take dates who do not go to their own school. Ard said her friend did not find out the request was rejected until a few days before the prom. Theriot confirmed she did reject the request in question.
Theriot's reasoning for the rejection did not sit well with the ACLU of Louisiana.
“There’s absolutely no reason why that would be a security problem in itself," ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman said. "If a boy can bring a date and it’s not a security risk, why can’t that same date come with a girl?"
Esman said her agency had dealt with cases of gay students being banned from proms at other Louisiana schools.
"Sometimes (schools) just say it’s against school policy, or they just don’t like it, or whatever," Esman said. "They throw out all kinds of reasons. But it’s clearly just strictly because somebody’s offended by this. It’s a homophobic thing and they come up with some pretext as to why they don’t allow it."
Ard told the board that gay students should have the same protections from threats as other students have had in the past. Esman agreed, saying it's the school's responsibility to provide security so gay students can attend proms if necessary.
Ard said the issue "is not just about gay rights" but rights for all who "should be allowed to be how they are in a public setting. Principals and teachers should not choose for you."
Under board policy, board members do not respond to public comments during meetings.
http://www.wdsu.com/news/16186531/detail.html
AMITE, La. -- A principal banned a gay student from a prom, claiming fears of violence, and raised the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board heard a complaint about the incident Tuesday.
Jeanelle Ard, 17, a Loranger High School junior, told the school board that the principal would not allow her friend to bring a female date to the prom Saturday because the friend and the female date are of the same gender.
Ard told the board that when she asked about the decision, the principal, who is Billie Theriot, said it was made for protection from bullying, fights and riots.
“We don’t refuse students from other schools as long as they are a date of one of our students," Theriot said during an interview. "I did refuse a guy who came under false pretenses and I asked him to leave and he did. I don’t want potential behavior problems.”
Ard said students must submit forms if they take dates who do not go to their own school. Ard said her friend did not find out the request was rejected until a few days before the prom. Theriot confirmed she did reject the request in question.
Theriot's reasoning for the rejection did not sit well with the ACLU of Louisiana.
“There’s absolutely no reason why that would be a security problem in itself," ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman said. "If a boy can bring a date and it’s not a security risk, why can’t that same date come with a girl?"
Esman said her agency had dealt with cases of gay students being banned from proms at other Louisiana schools.
"Sometimes (schools) just say it’s against school policy, or they just don’t like it, or whatever," Esman said. "They throw out all kinds of reasons. But it’s clearly just strictly because somebody’s offended by this. It’s a homophobic thing and they come up with some pretext as to why they don’t allow it."
Ard told the board that gay students should have the same protections from threats as other students have had in the past. Esman agreed, saying it's the school's responsibility to provide security so gay students can attend proms if necessary.
Ard said the issue "is not just about gay rights" but rights for all who "should be allowed to be how they are in a public setting. Principals and teachers should not choose for you."
Under board policy, board members do not respond to public comments during meetings.
http://www.wdsu.com/news/16186531/detail.html