When Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at Itawamba Agricultural High School in Mississippi, announced she’d be wearing a tuxedo and bringing a female date to the school’s senior prom the school district said no way. School officials then circulated a flier stating that same-sex prom dates were prohibited.
The American Civil Liberties Union demanded that officials change the policy, stating it is a violation of students’ rights and not allowing McMillen to wear a tuxedo to prom violated her right to free expression. The ACLU gave the school district a deadline to rescind the ruling and, on Wednesday, the school board voted to cancel the prom rather than allow McMillen to attend with her girlfriend.
On Thursday, the ACLU filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oxford to force the school district to sponsor the prom and allow McMillen to bring whom she chooses and wear what she wants.
The school board released a statement saying it chose to cancel the prom “due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events,” but did not mention McMillen or her girlfriend, who is also a student at the school.
Constance was reluctant to return to school following the decision but her father encouraged her to face her classmates, teachers and school officials.
“My daddy told me that I needed to show them that I’m still proud of who I am,” McMillen said. “The fact that this will help people later on, that’s what’s helping me to go on.”
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