Respect Each Other’s Differences

April 6, 2010 • by Nicole Santomenno  
Filed under Opinion

Unfortunately, not all schools show respect for others. Here at RHS, in most classrooms you’ll find a poster that reminds students to respect each other’s  differences.  We also have programs like the Gay-Straight Alliance where students advocate for respect.

Recently, at a Mississippi high school, the prom was canceled due to the fact that a lesbian teen wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date. 

According to CNN, “when school officials told 18 year old, Constance McMillen, she could neither take her girlfriend to the prom nor wear a tuxedo to the event, like she was planning to, the senior went to the American Civil Liberties Union, which demanded the school change its policy. In response, the school district canceled the prom altogether.”

 The school officials said that they decided to cancel prom because McMillen’s had caused a disruption. Because this violated her constitutional rights, the district was sued and was forced to re-schedule the prom.  They will allow  McMillen to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo, but the superintendent warned that if other students complian, she and her date will be asked to leave.

 In my opinion, people are people. Whether they are gay, straight or bisexual, they all have feelings. They also have rights. I believe that Constance McMillen should have been able to bring her girlfriend to prom without any problems from the school, and especially from the district. McMillen should’nt have had to go to court to defend her rights and the prom should not have been called off. Isn’t that a little dramatic? Why can’t people just respect differences?

Tags: editorial, Opinion

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