Hotel Owner Offers to Pay for Prom for Miss. Students in N.O.!

[FourScore]

Daily Kos
Hotel Owner Offers to Pay for Prom for Miss. Students in N.O.!
by TomP
Fri Mar 12, 2010 at 07:18:46 AM PST

This is good news. Most of us have heard about the Itawamba County, Mississippi, School District's decision to cancel the prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School (near Tupelo, Mississippi) rather than let a lesbian student attend with her girl friend. Well now they can party in New Orleans, if they want to:

New Orleans hotel owner Sean Cummings is offering to take the students to New Orleans by bus, and host a free prom at one of his properties. http://www.ksnt.com/news/national/story/Hotel-owner-offers-prom-for-Mississippi-students/AMhgU-R5RkWdBhE92M2ZDA.cspx

SNIP

I hope some students take up Sean Cummings on his offer. A prom in New Orleans is so much better than the bigotry of Itawamba Agricultural High School.

Hate is alive in Mississippi. But there are good folks standing up against it.

Equality now!

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/12/845463/-Update-on-reconciliation?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+(Daily+Kos)

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd. Amplifies the biased ignorance of the school, which is good. nt

[lamp_shade]

2. I knew SOMEBODY would come through for those kids. Cheers.

[NeedleCast]

7. And I'm glad that Somebody wasn't a group of fundies offering their church for the prom

[EFerrari]

34. There's probably some of those, too.

But it's good to see that so many people are supporting these kids' right to celebrate their high school graduation.

[KittyWampus]

3. sounds like fun!

[FourScore]

8. Yeah, really...Can I go?

B-)

[handmade34]

4. hope it works

:applause:

[tammywammy]

5. That's great! n/t

[CrispyQ]

6. Good on him!

k&r

[Spazito]

9. Wonderful news!

I hope the students take him up on his offer! They would have their prom while sending a strong message against the homophobic, bigoted School District of Itawamba County!

[supernova]

10. This is great news!

I hope this young lady and her girlfriend and their friends take advantage of it. Likely they'll have a much better time too.

Suck it backwards parents!

[LuvNewcastle]

11. I hope they take him up on it.

I'm sure some of the parents won't let their kids go to New Orleans, but I think many of them will. God knows they need to get out of Itawamba County for a change.

[BlueIris]

12. Nice! I hope they get to have their prom.

Their "regular" school district sounds horrifying.

[Romulox]

13. A very human gesture. k/r

[Bluebear]

14. Hmm. Prom in New Orleans vs the Dew Drop Inn of Greater Itawumba. We have a winner!

[DevonRex]

25. I really, really hope that most of the kids will see what a wonderful

opportunity this is to have their Prom in a nice place. Maybe some will even rethink their prejudice because of it. I'm originally from Mississippi, but from a time when people just didn't talk about homosexuality at all, especially with young girls. It wasn't considered to be "polite conversation." To tell you the truth, I didn't even know there was such a thing until I left there for good.

Now, however, it's used as a means to divide and as an excuse to hate. And I'm very afraid for this girl's wellbeing and safety. The hate there is still very strong within a large segment of society. She has to go to school with kids who have been taught to hate and who have never been away from home long enough to hear different views.

[EFerrari]

33. BB, check out these guys:

The reporter directed me to MS Safe School Coalition, and I talked to their media guy, Matthew. They already had this even planned and now, they're trying to see if there is a way to combine efforts. Matthew said a whole bunch of people are calling and offering resources and support:

Second Chance Prom

Constance McMillen was denied the opportunity to attend prom with her girlfriend.
Press Release

Unfortunately this story is all too familiar in Mississippi. The ACLU of Mississippi is working with Constance to get the official school prom reinstated. But if you are interested in donating to a second prom for Constance, the other students at Itawamba High, and the ongoing efforts of the MSSC to make sure LGBT students in MS are protected and treated with dignity in the future, please click on the link below.

NOTE: To earmark money for the MSSC's work please put "MSSC" in the "Why are you donating?" field or email Jennifer Carr at [e-mail] after donating.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=26771

The MSSC is organizing its Second Chance Prom, this year in Constance's community, so that ALL students, gay and straight, at Itawamba will have the opportunity to be themselves at the prom. We thank you very much for your support! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

http://mssafeschools.org/

Matthew added me to his mailing list for updates, press releases, etc.

Sounds like these district @ssholes have drawn allies from all over together. :rofl:

:party:

[Hepburn]

15. Wonderful!

I sure hope that those who were downing the female student who wanted to wear a tux and bring her girlfriend realize the benefit she created for them.

I am betting, tho, that there are still some bigots -- especially the parents -- who will not attend or allow their children to attend.

But, a major bravo for the hotel guy! :applause:

KNR

[seabeyond]

16. "I hope some students". even the anti lesbian kids are going to be fans of this girl

they are all probably saying ..... yeehaw, thanks.

[Shell Beau]

19. We don't say yeehaw in MS. We really aren't that backwards.

[Rhythm]

17. The hotels that Cummings owns are exquisite... hope these kids take him up on it

Cummings is the owner of International House. The place is unbelievable.....

http://ihhotel.com/

[Shell Beau]

18. I hope they go! It would be a blast.

I am glad this hotel owner offered it. It is causing a stink here in MS. People aren't really all that happy about it. Some people obviously agree with this stupid decision, but most people are not for it. At least in my town.

[DevonRex]

20. K&R. I'm very afraid for this young lady's safety. Maybe this will

win over the majority of students at that high school.

[tblue37]

21. Will he allow the young woman to bring her date?

I certainly hope so, but it isn't really made clear in the article. After all, the school board said they were hoping some private individual(s) would make the prom happen, with the implication that they would also exclude the lesbian girl and her date, but that since they would be private actors, they would not be able to be sued for discrimination by the ACLU.

(So many of today's journal;ists have no clue about how to write a clear story!)

[Shell Beau]

23. I think that is the whole point. I hope so anyway.

New Orleans is a pretty liberal town. If these kids are offended by same sex relationships, then maybe New Orleans isn't the place for them. I LOVE New Orleans. It is a fun and beautiful city.

[tblue37]

24. I am hoping so, too, but the story is incredibly unclear on that point.

I get so frustrated with today's reporters and their inability to make key points clear in a story.

[EFerrari]

31. ** 1 called and spoke to reporter Chris Joyner at the Clarion Ledger**

who has been working this story and he said emphatically, YES, this invitation was for ALL the kids!

:woohoo:

[Liberal_in_LA]

22. great. down with bigotry

[pepperbear]

26. My fear.....

the school threatens to suspend any student that attends the N.O. prom. And please don't tell me they can't. schools have been doing alot of things they "can't" do lately. they simply don't worry about the consequences or think they are immune to them. unfortunately, sometimes they are.

[EFerrari]

27. Maybe less likely to make the threat now that ACLU is involved?

I hope so. @ssholes!

[pepperbear]

29. maybe, but after "spycam-gate" and all the bullying that goes unnoticed, I am skeptical.

I have nothing to base this on but intuition, but I won't be surprised.

[EFerrari]

32. An anti-bullying org has jumped in to help out. Here is their page on this case:

Second Chance Prom

Constance McMillen was denied the opportunity to attend prom with her girlfriend.
Press Release

Unfortunately this story is all too familiar in Mississippi. The ACLU of Mississippi is working with Constance to get the official school prom reinstated. But if you are interested in donating to a second prom for Constance, the other students at Itawamba High, and the ongoing efforts of the MSSC to make sure LGBT students in MS are protected and treated with dignity in the future, please click on the link below.

NOTE: To earmark money for the MSSC's work please put "MSSC" in the "Why are you donating?" field or email Jennifer Carr at [e-mail] after donating.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=26771

The MSSC is organizing its Second Chance Prom, this year in Constance's community, so that ALL students, gay and straight, at Itawamba will have the opportunity to be themselves at the prom. We thank you very much for your support! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

http://mssafeschools.org/ (Doesn't seem to be a permalink, sorry)

[pepperbear]

28. dupe. wrong place n/t

[EFerrari]

30. If this gets put together , would any of you be interested in pitching in $1

into a paypal account to send to the party for whatever? Food or flowers or towards a DJ or whatever kids do now. :)

We could send a check and a thread of good wishes for these kids on their graduation.

Whaddya think?

I can't afford more than that but just $1 and Congrats, Grads! might help change how these kids remember this prom. I'd have to ask permission from Skinner. Could we do that?

[proReality]

35. Good on him! n/t

[tango-tee]

36. Great news!

I hope they have fun in N.O.!

[lonestarnot]

37. K & R!

[WillyT]

38. K & R !!!

:woohoo:

:kick:

[Overseas]

39. K&R . //nt

[jmowreader]

40. And as an added bonus...

the girls who plan to lose their virginity on prom night will have a NICE place to do it in.

I hate to sound like a prude and all, but if anything kills this, it will be the fact it's in a hotel. I don't know about y'all but I think I'd be more than a little hesitant about sending my daughter to a prom in a hotel. Considering the piss-poor state of sex education in this country, I would have to meet her date several days ahead of time...in order to give him a speech centered on a big padded envelope. It will contain two smaller envelopes. One of them will contain a pack of condoms and a tube of lubricant. The other would contain a list of flower shops and beauticians, my daughter's ring size, an application for a marriage license and a CD of wedding music. If you decide to seduce my daughter, you will use one of those envelopes--which one is up to you. We're talking Mississippi--can't you get married there at 16?