#Constance is trending on Twitter today.... whatever that means. Ellen Degenes just twittered Constance's story... and she has 4.3 million followers.
A New Orleans hotel owner—Sean Cummings—has offered to bus students from Fulton to New Orleans for a free-of-charge prom at his hotel.
The Stonewall Democrats are gathering signatures for a petition backing Colorado Congressman Jared Polis's Student Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 4530), which would ban discrimination against LGBT students.
The Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition is raising money to host an "Second Chance Prom" that would welcome all students.
And this will be of interest to bear lovers everywhere: Constance McMillen's father is hot...
...and he's on his daughter's side. So is Constance's grandmother. Even in small towns, even in places as small as Fulton, Mississippi, gay and lesbian teenagers increasingly have the love and support of their families. Back when our families were likelier to be unsupportive or actively hostile, back when most gay teenagers had to hide their sexual orientations from their parents, bigoted teachers and school officials could discriminate or retaliate against gay teenagers with impunity. Those days are over. Welcome to the future, Itawamba County Schools.
And, finally, this is about more than Constance, this is about more than just the bigots on the Itawamba County school board. This is about vulnerable LGBT high school and middle school students all over the country. While more and more LGBT students enjoy the support of their families and friends, LGBT students still face harassment from their peers and hostility from school administrators. And the harassment doesn't just impact the lives of openly gay students. Closeted gay students, who may be more isolated, witness discrimination against openly gay students and are made to feel fearful. By coming down on the Itawamba County School system—and by coming down on them hard—we're not just sending a message to the bigots running a high school in a corner of Mississippi. We're sending a message to school boards and superintendents and principals all over the country: you will pay a price if you discriminate against or encourage other students to retaliate against LGBT youth.
Those numbers and email addresses again:
Superintendent Teresa McNeece
tmcneece@itawamba.k12.ms.us
phone (662) 862-2159 Ext. 14
fax (662) 862-4713
Write on the wall at Teresa McNeece's Facebook page.Principal Trae Wiygul
twiygul@itawamba.k12.ms.us
(662) 862-3104School Board Member Eddie Hood
a082315@allstate.com
YOU CAN ALSO SEND HIM A MESSAGE VIA HIS FACEBOOK PAGE.School Board Member Jackie Nichols
jnichols@itawamba.k12.ms.usSchool Board Member Harold Martin
hmartin@itawamba.k12.ms.usSchool Board Member Clara Brown
cbrown@network-one.comSchool Board Member Tony Wallace
twallace@nexband.com
YOU CAN ALSO SEND HIM A MESSAGE VIA HIS FACEBOOK PAGE.
Let them hear from you. Then join the Facebook group "Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend to Prom" here. Then make a tax-deductible donation to support Constance's ACLU LGBT Project team here.
