Indiana High School Students, Parents Seek Gay-Free Prom
Students from a high school in Indiana have teamed up with parents, pastors and even a teacher, in order to have a "traditional prom" that would prohibit gay students from attending, Indiana's NBC affiliate station WTWO reports.
The group from Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Ind., met at Sullivan First Christian Church and urged that LGBT students be excluded from attending the dance.
"If we can get a good prom then we can convince more people to come and follow what they believe," Kynon Johnson, a student, told NBC 2. Others said there are students who want a straight only prom but are afraid to speak their mind.
"We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don't think it's right nor should it be accepted," Bonnie McCammon, a student, said.
A special education teacher in the community, Diana Medley, said she also supports the anti-gay prom.
"I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal," Medley said. "Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don't agree with them, but I care about them. It's the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason." She added that she doesn't believe gays have a purpose in life.
"No I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't. I don't understand it," Medley said. "A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God."
When the New Civil Rights Movement reported the story, the website wrote that Medley "should be placed on immediate suspension and steps should be taken to ensure she receives the counseling she needs before she is allowed back into a classroom. She has no business teaching or counseling any student right now if she places her personal religious beliefs above her job and fiduciary responsibilities to children, and if believes that gay people have no purpose in life."
Dan Savage, the creator of the "It Gets Better" campaign, also took issue with the possibility of a prom without LGBT students and wrote on his website, "There's no way to stop the haters at Sullivan High School from holding an independent prom for the special bigoted kids. But here's what we can do: we can make a noise so loud enough that all the queer kids at Sullivan High School hear it. Those kids need to know that there are people -- a lot of people -- who think this shit is wrong."
Meanwhile, a Facebook page has been launched that urges Sullivan High School to hold a prom for all students, however. As of this writing, the page has nearly 3,700 likes.
"This page was created in response to a small group of parents and students in Sullivan, Indiana who are opposed to LGBT students attending their public high school prom," the page's "About" section reads. "Thank you to Sullivan High School is doing the right thing!"