Prom's ban on same-sex guests being challenged

Associated Press via Houston Chronicle | May 5, 2004, 8:35PM | no byline

[weegee]

LAGO VISTA -- A civil liberties group is asking the principal of a Central Texas high school to reconsider a policy prohibiting students attending the prom from buying tickets for same-sex guests.

"It's supposed to be a special night that you're supposed to share with people you like to be around," said Sherrell Ingram, 16. "If they're setting limits on who you can and can't bring just because of their sex, it's not going to be great anymore. It's not going to be special."

Ingram, a junior who helped organize the prom, noticed a sign detailing the rule against same-sex prom ticket purchases last month, just as her mother was about to buy tickets for her and a best friend. Ingram and the girl have been best friends since the sixth grade. Ingram said she is not a lesbian but thinks the policy discriminates against her gay friends.

"I was like, `Whoa, Mom, read this,' " Ingram said in Wednesday editions of the Austin American-Statesman.

"Isn't that illegal?" she recalled asking her mother, who works in the school cafeteria.

Now, People for the American Way, a civil liberties group, has asked Lago Vista High School Principal Donna Larkin to reconsider the policy and has threatened to sue if Larkin doesn't repeal it by Friday. The prom is May 15.

Barbara Qualls, Lago Vista's school superintendent, declined to comment.

Lago Vista, a town of about 5,000 people, is northwest of Austin.

[mtbopfuyn]

And where do you propose we put our children once we take them out of public school?

I agree. For some, homeschooling is the be all to end all and the salvation of the world. They refuse to accept the fact that some parents don't have the means to pay for private schools or to homeschool. Even those parents who do have the means, may not be capable of homeschooling. In my case, we knew the private school in the neighboring town was beyond pitiful so the choice was homeschool or public school. Our public school is very good so that's what we did. However, the dinning room is filled with homeschooling supplies because I do suppliment their education simply because we enjoy learning. What's sad is there are good public schools out there but too often homeschooling fanatics (not saying jeremiah is) refuse to believe it. It's the fad now to bad mouth public school, same as the biased media showing only the bad goings on in Iraq.

[little jeremiah]

That's a problem. I was a single parent (ditto absolutely NO money from father - actually once he sent a $5 bill) and I worked; I always tried to work part time and have less money and more time. I homeschooled up until their 4th and 6th grade, and on and off after that. It was hell, they grew up weird, and I was not successful in raising them as I wanted. Their intelligence and academic learning was fine, but going to school twisted them beyond repair (plus extended vists to relatives who did their best to instill liberal ideology - atheism, homosexuality, and the rest). I also had (have) my own personal failings.

My heart goes out to you; it may not take a village to raise a child, but it certainly takes two parents - a mother and father - and to do double duty has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world.

If you have absolutely no choice, what can you do?

1. Find the school in your area that has the best (or least of the worst) reputation as far as "bad kids", criminal or homosexual teachers, and leftist agenda. Some places you can sign stuff to get your kids in a school that normally they wouldn't be assigned to.

2. Spend not only quality time but large AMOUNTS of time interacting with your kids (I don't know how old they are) but if they are pretty young still, gain their confidence so they won't be afraid to tell you what's really going on in school. If you have a really good relationship with them, they'll trust you more than their teachers.

3. Do research and find out what the school is *really* teaching your children. When they are assigned schoolbooks, read through all of them. You might be amazed at the leftist, pro-homosexual, pro-sexual libertinist, etc content of books even for very small children. It gets snuck into everything. Talk to the teachers and if possible find other parents who share YOUR worldview. If things at the school get weird, you and other like minded parents can perhaps put a stop to things. By really knowing what's being taught, you can also teach your kids the TRUTH as YOU see it, so they won't be damaged by being taught lies.

4. Tell your kids the truth - that you'd like to teach them at home as many parents do, or send them to a private school, but you don't have the money or the time. Tell them (in a manner befitting their age of course) that sometimes the schools will teach them things that you don't consider to be true or right, and proceed to correct them at home.

5. It'll help if you don't live in CA - where there is mandatory pro-homosexual cirricula K-12.

6. I would also reccommend making sure whoever they play or hang out with is well-brought up and shares the values you want your children to have. "Bad" kids really contaminate other kids.

[Sloth]

This is a STUPID policy. It's just going to attract this kind of attention.

[little jeremiah]

CHeck out my post #22.

Also, have you read many of the articles EdReform and scripter have in the Homosexual Agenda Index? They regularly post these links, which are a veritable mine of information about every aspect of homosexuality, with an amazing array about GLSEN - "Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (or something). They are a huge, moneyed organization dedicated to promoting homosexuality in every public school. If they are not yet in a school in your area, they will be soon. Have you read about the "Day of Silence" which thousands of schools in America participated in? Or the Gar Straight and QUESTIONING clubs for high school and middle school kids? They get kids in who have "questions" about homosexuality, or whether they might be. You can imagine what the kids are taught by these "gay" counsellors.

If you think that there are safe, good public schools, it may be that you just haven't checked lately, or that your school hasn't been assaulted yet. Additionally, the two all-powerful teachers' unions (especially the NEA) is avidly pro-homosexual as well as every other leftist cause, and especially dedicated to diminishing the influence of family and home.

The leftists realize that to totally change society into the one they envision requires destroying the influence of the family and religion. This requires getting to kids earlier and earlier. Have you heard about the invasive psychological testing and questioning they do to kids? If you don't, you should check it out.

[little jeremiah]

Before condemning the criticism of public schools as a fad, it might be wise to read up by checking the links EdReform and scripter post on the Homosexual Agenda threads. Or add yourself to my pinglist - you'll see the links, as well as more information about how homosexuals and their supporters are trying (with a lot of success, so far) to change the entire moral foundation of our country.

And the best way to do that is to indoctrinate children, which is exactly their aim.

[mtbopfuyn]

And the best way to do that is to indoctrinate children, which is exactly their aim.

I'll wager there are plenty of public school children who are smart enough not become "indoctrinated." On the other hand, forget their smarts or their lifetime teachings of their church and family and just let their teenage raging hormones lead them in the right direction.

[grania]

Hey now, in a way I agree with her... if a couple of gals or guys don't have dates, what's wrong with buying a pair of tickets for yourselves? This is so dumb it's a non-issue.

Even back in the '60s the tradition was to have a "singles" table where students without traditional dates sat. Nobody asked them there if they were gay or not. Those tables were often the most fun, with prom goers coming on to each other, being pretty uninhibited, pairing off, and not on fake dates that so often happen with proms.

I'm as offended by people assuming that two people of the same sex going somewhere together are gay as I am about gays flaunting it.

[TexanByBirth]

Unfortunately in Austin and the surrounding area people do make that assumption, because in a lot of cases their assumption is correct.

Austin has a large gay and lesbian population. Even though Lago Vista is on the other side of Lake Travis from Austin, people there would still make the assumption two women (or two men) together in a place where couple (or dates) congregate are homosexuals.

[little jeremiah]

It's not just teenagers. They're starting the indoctrination from 5 and 6 years old. I am wondering if you have young children in school. I have seen social studies books (just a couple of months ago) written for young grade school-age kids, touting single motherhood as ideal, stating that their are "varieties" of families, and shamelessly mocking traditional families and values in a way that shocked EVEN ME and I thought I was unshockable.

Twelve years of indoctrination will harm most every child. Remember that children spend at least 7 hours a day in school, listening to for the most part leftist teachers, with many kids who are not being brought up the way you want yours to be brought up. How many hours a day can you influence them?

[weegee]

I haven't known prom tickets ONLY to be sold in pairs. Some schools DO put a class restriction on admission (you must be a junior or senior to attend unless you are the date of an upperclassman).

I wonder why there aren't more lawsuits against the banning of freshmen/sophomores at proms.

[weegee]

Reading that article you linked makes it appear that the real story is that these 2 girls don't attend the same school (which is why her friend needs to come as a date to get in).

An unbiased media would put the FACTS in the article and then discuss the motivations behind the lawsuit.

[Arrowhead1952]

An unbiased media would put the FACTS in the article and then discuss the motivations behind the lawsuit.

No kidding with that statement. Don't know how far you are from the Austin area, but there are other small school districts that basically have that same rule.

One girl called in to a local talk show yesterday, and the entire problem was the public display of affection (PDA) between two gays at the dance last September. The school's policy is that there can be no PDA between students at the proms, homecoming dance, etc. That rule applies to ALL STUDENTS, not just gays.

BTW, two straight students were reprimanded after the prom last year. They were juniors and had additional summer homework as a penalty.

[zx2dragon]

Like I said, I don't recall their reasoning, it was a long time ago.

The schools I went to had separate functions for the first, second and third year students (each with their own name, the juniors having their junior prom) and the only way they could attend the senior prom was to be the date of a senior. That would limit the ability to bring about a lawsuit on that issue but I have no idea if that is something other schools do as well.

[freeangel]

Well, little--it's obvious that you are such a popular girl that you never have had to go out with just your friends. There are plenty of stag people at the prom for all kinds of reasons. Prom time is a time to be with your friends. If one happens to be unpopular at a school, but has a childhood friend that attends another high school, the only way to attend would be to buy a ticket for them. Get your mind out of the gutter on this one and cut this girl a break.

[little jeremiah]

I find your angry reply quite aggressive and vituperous and I wonder why. What is your opinion of "gay" rights - marriage, legalization of homosexuals adopting, civil unions, and so on?

First of all, I was singularly unpopular as a teenager, never went to one dance or prom, never was even a senior in high school.

If you think I have any arguments about going "stag" to a dance you have not read or understood my comments on this thread. In the article quoted above, the girl states that the rule of only (opposite sex) couples attending "isn't fair to gays". It is also clear that this is even an issue at all because of the huge effort to promote and normalize homosexuality. There have been many articles on FR about this very topic - high schools being sued so that Johnny can bring Jimmy to the prom.

If you don't see this you have either:

1. Been in a coma for several years.

2. Maintain a high standard of being misinformed by not reading anything about the homosexual agenda - and FR is the best place to become well-informed, so you have little excuse.

or

3. You may be in favor the goals of homosexual activists - do you think same sex couples (homosexual ones, not innocent friends) should be allowed at high school proms?

I've been clear on my position. Let's hear yours.

[Protagoras]

"If they're setting limits on who you can and can't bring just because of their sex, it's not going to be great anymore. It's not going to be special."

Ok, so don't go. I never went to parties or dances I didn't think I would enjoy.

[Greenback_dollar]

Here's an idea...why don't you teach your children your morals. That way, they will be exactly like you.

Oh wait, let's blame the moral decay of our kids on the school system. As a parent, I couldn't be responsible for the way my kids turn out...

(that's sarcasm, in case you didn't notice.)

[freeangel]

I can relate to my son going to homecoming. His group got a limo for 12 and he was one of three guys with dates on the trip. The rest were girls who were knockouts and were in no way homosexuals, but had no dates. They all had a great time being at a special event for their senior year.

That being said, I have signed my name to many petitions in favor of making marriage a one woman/one man institution in the strictest definition. I just think you are being too harsh on a girl that wanted to go with a friend. It sounds like you would ban anyone who did not have an opposite sex partner.

[little jeremiah]

Nope, not at all. I am attuned to the radical "gay" activists who use every opportunity to insinuate their way into every facet of existence, and they especially prey upon the youth.