Indiana School Community Calls For Gay-Free Prom (VIDEO)

Feb 11, 2013 It’s still a bit early for prom season, but students, parents, and faculty at Sullivan High School in Indiana are already calling for a prom that bans gays from attending. Students believe that a “good prom” would be one where homosexuality is not allowed because “we don’t think it’s right nor should it be accepted.” In addition to the basic homophobia at root in this story, what is quickly becoming a second story is the media’s attempt to cover up or tone down that anti-gay animus. Unsurprisingly, an invite-only Facebook group where proponents were publicly discussing the gay-free prom has disappeared, but not before plenty of screenshots were captured of the comments being made there. But even WTWO, the NBC affiliate that reported this story Sunday night, made numerous edits to the story since its first publication. For example, at one point, the video was removed from the story and the lede sentence (as was read by the anchor) was changed to soften its tone: OLD: A team of Valley high schools and parents petition to ban gays from their prom. NEW: A team of Valley high schoolers and parents rally for a traditional prom that bans gays. Later Sunday evening, the odious testimony of special education teacher Diana Medley was significantly cut in a way that made her sound less anti-gay, though it has since been restored. Here were her comments to WTWO reporter Paige Preusse about how she believes nobody is born gay, as featured in the original news report that aired: MEDLEY: I believe it was a choice that she made. I don’t believe that they were born that way. I think that life circumstances made them choose that. I think God made everybody equal. PREUSSE: When a gay person, you know — do you consider them, maybe, that they have some sort of purpose in life? MEDLEY: I don’t. I personally don’t, I’m sorry. I don’t understand it. A gay student, or adult, or person is going to come up and make some change unless they realize it was a choice and I’m choosing God. The newly edited video featured with the article actually includes more comments from Medley than originally aired, but her comments about gays not having a purpose in life are not included in the printed version. Watch a clip of the original broadcast, which includes the anchor’s original lede — now cut from the posted video to reflect the change in the article: It’s unclear what the fate of the prom is at this point, and school administrators have yet to weigh in. According to a Sullivan senior who contacted blogger Alvin McEwen, the proposed gay-free “traditional prom” would be a separate event not supported by the school, and not supported by all students. Two separate Facebook pages have been started calling for an inclusive prom, and a Change.org petition has been started calling for Medley to be disciplined for her offensive remarks suggesting gay people don’t have a purpose in life.

http%3A//thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/02/11/1568631/indiana-school-community-calls-for-gay-free-prom-as-media-sugarcoats-homophobia/



• Who the fuck will decorate and dance with the fat girls? (which, since it's Indiana, will be the majority)

• We've come a long way, baby. We've still a long way to go. It's of no surprise that gays are damaged goods. It's quite plain to see the problem isn't the gays, it's the ignorance of society as a whole.

• .

• Jesus would be so proud of her. Not.

• The question to ask if how do the students feel about this issue.

• I'm not all that anxious to butt in where I am not wanted. But I think their hatred and intolerance should be well publicized to the whole wide world.

• I have to admit I misread the thread title as "Indiana School Community Calls For Gay-Free PORN."

• I've been through that town, it's on the main route between Terre Haute and Vincennes. About 200 miles from Chicago. For shame!

• Her husband's probably gay.

• I also read this as free gay porn, lol.

• They're right. Prom in Indiana is about straights. Specifically straight girls getting raped. It's gods will.

• The whole thing is really bizarre. Are there that many gay kids in Sullivan fucking Indiana clamoring to bring their same sex dates to the prom that they feel the need to inact this ban? Or are there one or two out kids they're trying to bully.

• I think it is a group of conservative Christians trying to make a point. The alternative prom is NOT school sanctioned. The title of this thread is misleading. The thinking seems to be to get a high turnout to the prom to make the point that anti gay bigotry has support

• If I was a gay kid at that school, I wouldn't even want to go to their shitty prom anyway with shitty people like that there.

• Wouldn't you defend yourself, R14?

• Some of the gays need to pull a Carrie on the prom queen.

  Nancy%20Allen%20

• Just disgusting

• [bold] Teacher Says Gays Have No Purpose In Life, Wants LGBT Kids Banned From Prom [/bold] A teacher of special needs children in Indiana is speaking out with other Christian parents and students by demanding LGBT kids be banned from a Sullivan High School prom. When asked, teacher Diana Medley responded to a reporter that she believes gay people have no purpose in life, and agrees that anti-gay parents and students should create a separate, “traditional” prom that would ban gay students from attending. Sullivan High School itself is allowing all students to the official prom, but these militant anti-gay Christians are trying to get students to attend their prom instead of the school’s official prom. “Diana Medley is a special education teacher in town. She doesn’t believe anyone is born gay,” mywabashvalley.com reports: “I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal,” said Medley. “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,” said Madley. “‘So the same goes for gays? Do you think they have a purpose in life?’ No I honestly don’t. Sorry, but I don’t. I don’t understand it. 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 chosing [sic] God,” said Medley. Medley, sadly, is in good company. As mywabashvalley.com reports, students, parents, and Christian pastors met at a local church to discuss gay students at prom, and they’re ganging up to raise money for a separate prom. This video below (unfortunately poor quality, but you can see the original at mywabashvalley.com,) shows not one LGBT person speaking for LGBTQ kids, but it does show a small Christian war against them. This is organized bullying of LGBTQ students and there could be federal civil rights issues here. Hopefully the ACLU and other civil rights groups will investigate. 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. How can an LGBTQ student possibly be forced to be “taught” by someone who thinks they have no purpose in life and should “choose God” over being who they are? Fortunately there is a Facebook page to support the inclusive prom, Support the Sullivan High School Prom for All Students. n Savage has a few thoughts. Here are a few excerpts: Let’s pause here for a moment to feel the love. Because what says “love” quite as loudly as “you’re not wanted and God hates you”? Let’s pause here to grieve for all the special education students in Sullivan, Indiana. Students with learning disabilities have it hard enough without getting stuck with mentally challenged special ed teachers. You know else has it hard enough? Queer kids growing up in Sullivan, Indiana, population 4,249. And here’s one’s for all you “not all like that” Christians out there: Sullivan First Christian Church needs to hear from Christians who think it’s wrong—who think it’s un-Christian—for a Christian church to serve as a meeting place for a hate groups that exists only to exclude LGBT adolescents from a milestone like prom. Sullivan First Christian’s contact page is here. They’re phone number is 812-268-4348. Give ‘em a shout. The Christians who started the drive for a separate no gays prom started a Facebook group, which has since disappeared, but I was able to grab some screenshots. Feel the Christian love

  http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/teacher-says-gays-have-no-purpose-in-life-wants-lgbt-kids-banned-from-prom/discrimination/2013/02/11/60218

• That beast should not be teaching children.

• No mixed fibres allowed at the gay free prom either. No Orientals either as they eat prawn toast, and no menstruating girls (panties will be checked at the door) No one is born Christian, it's a choice to validate being an out of touch bigot.

• Is that woman the ringleader of the whole thing?