Prom's ban on same-sex guests being challenged

[Scooter24]

(Excerpt)
Associated Press
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.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2551995
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Some educators will never learn...

[bluestateguy]

1. That time of year again

for the prom, and we always hear about some whacked out controversy related to this meaningless event.

Last year it was that "private" all-white prom in rural Georgia.

[eyesroll]

2. Doesn't a no same-sex-guest policy actually promote teen sex?

(In a roundabout way, anyhow.)

I don't know -- there seemed to be an air of expectation of sex between many opposite-sex couples at prom, whether they actually were dating or not. (I didn't go to prom, so the question was pretty moot for me, and a lot of this is heresay.)

Doesn't allowing kids to go as singles, with same-sex friends or in non-paired-off groups at least somewhat mitigate the expectation? (Put this into language that everyone can understand...)

And, yes, this also is discriminatory against gay and lesbian teens.