The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against a Mississippi high school after the district cancelled their prom because a lesbian student wanted to bring her girlfriend as a date.
The suit in the U.S. district court for northern Mississippi calls for Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton to reinstate the prom on April 2, reports the Advocate.
"All I wanted was the same chance to enjoy my prom night like any other student," Constance McMillen, the 18-year-old senior, said in a statement on Thursday. "But my school would rather hurt all the students than treat everyone fairly. This isn't just about me and my rights anymore - now I'm fighting for the right of all the students at my school to have our prom."
The school district decided Wednesday not to host a high school prom after McMillen requested she be able to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.
"Itawamba school officials are trying to turn Constance into the villain who called the whole thing off, and that just isn't what happened," said Kristy Bennett, legal director for the ACLU of Mississippi. "She's fighting for everyone to be able to enjoy the prom. The government, and that includes public schools, can't censor someone's free expression just because some other person might not like it."
McMillen and attorney Christine Sun from the ACLU appeared on CBS's Early Show Friday and spoke with host Erica Hill about their fight against the school. Though some students resent McMillen for the prom's cancellation, she does not regret her decision to challenge the antigay policy.
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