"I'm so glad this is all over. I won't ever get my prom back, but it's worth it if it changes things at my school.''
Constance McMillen, 18, who will receive $35,000 from her Mississippi school district as part of a lawsuit settlement. She had been suing because the school wouldn't allow her to bring another girl to the prom as her date. McMillen says she had to transfer out of her school district because the public battle that occurred over the prom caused friction with her classmates and community. (UPI)
''I think the school district realized they were behind the eight-ball and if this case proceeded that it was just going to go downhill from here. We're really pleased with the outcome of this case and the fact they threw in the towel means students in the school district will have a new policy that protects them.''
Christine Sun, an ACLU lawyer who also represented Constance McMillen in her lawsuit against the Itawamba County School District of Mississippi. McMillen's high school had canceled her class' entire prom instead of allowing McMillen to bring her female date. After a media campaign and a court battle, the school did hold a prom, but nearly all of the other students had gone to a second, secret prom sponsored by parents. McMillen apparently sued for discrimination, and the school district has decided to settle for $35,000 while maintaining that they've done nothing wrong. (Clarion Ledger)
''As far as we know, this is the first school district in Mississippi to adopt such a policy. It spells out sexual orientation and gender identification and that means students like Constance or transgender students will have a kind of protection in the school district.''
Kristy Bennett, a lawyer who also represented Constance McMillen, the Mississippi lesbian who ran into problems earlier this year when she asked for permission to attend her high school prom wearing a tux and with her girlfriend. (NEMS)
