• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Segregated high school proms divide Georgia's students

666

Whingeing Pom
666
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
1,532
Location
Slightly to the east of Kernow.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5586617/Segregated-high-school-proms-divide-Georgias-students.html

In early summer when Georgia peaches are at their sweetest and high school seniors can't wait to be loosed on the world, separate proms are part of the bitter aftertaste of segregation that persists in parts of America's Deep South.
Click to expand...
I was surprised to read this story in the UK press. I always assumed (wrongly, it seems) that Proms were organised by the schools, not the parents.

I'm wondering how widespread this "separate-but-equal" situation is.
 
666 said:
I was surprised to read this story in the UK press. I always assumed (wrongly, it seems) that Proms were organised by the schools, not the parents.
Click to expand...

Usually they are, but not in this case. From a recent NY Times article:

The senior proms held by Montgomery County High School students — referred to by many students as “the black-folks prom” and “the white-folks prom” — are organized outside school through student committees with the help of parents. All students are welcome at the black prom, though generally few if any white students show up. The white prom, students say, remains governed by a largely unspoken set of rules about who may come.

Black members of the student council say they have asked school administrators about holding a single school-sponsored prom, but that, along with efforts to collaborate with white prom planners, has failed.

According to Timothy Wiggs, the outgoing student council president and one of 21 black students graduating this year, “We just never get anywhere with it.” Principal Luke Smith says the school has no plans to sponsor a prom, noting that when it did so in 1995, attendance was poor.
Click to expand...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html
 
It's my understanding (which could be wrong) that when a publically-funded school organizes a prom, it must abide by all applicable equal-rights laws. It's also my understanding that if a group of parents organize a prom as a privately-funded function, they can place any restrictions upon it they want.

Sort of like holding a "members only" function at a country club.
 
Unbelievable, but ultimately little different from how the Boy Scout Alliance won't even admit 'confessed' atheists and homosexuals.

Simple solution - make it so that public funding means you can't discriminate or segregate.
 
Safe-Keeper said:
Simple solution - make it so that public funding means you can't discriminate or segregate.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but in this case no public money is being used for the segregated proms. The funding and organization are coming from the students and their parents.
 
Safe-Keeper said:
Unbelievable, but ultimately little different from how the Boy Scout Alliance won't even admit 'confessed' atheists and homosexuals.

Simple solution - make it so that public funding means you can't discriminate or segregate.
Click to expand...

Did you miss that it was private parent groups hosting the prom or did I miss the point you were making?
 
I know my attitude doesn't take away the general concern about discriminatory practices in society but ....

Proms are arguably as American as apple pie, but honestly my proms were a little more meaningful than an evening spent toiletpapering trees. I get the sneaking suspicion a lot of others have the same sentiment.
 
ProbeX said:
I know my attitude doesn't take away the general concern about discriminatory practices in society but ....

Proms are arguably as American as apple pie, but honestly my proms were a little more meaningful than an evening spent toiletpapering trees. I get the sneaking suspicion a lot of others have the same sentiment.
Click to expand...

I came so close to boarding the boat my prom was on from an inflatable raft with a bunch of friends dressed as pirates and delivering a bunch of pizzas. We even had the guy on board with the rope ladder to attach to the railing.

Unfortunately one of my grandparents needed to go to the hospital and we couldn't use the van for transport.

THAT would have been a meaningful experience.
 
quixotecoyote said:
I came so close to boarding the boat my prom was on from an inflatable raft with a bunch of friends dressed as pirates and delivering a bunch of pizzas. We even had the guy on board with the rope ladder to attach to the railing.

Unfortunately one of my grandparents needed to go to the hospital and we couldn't use the van for transport.

THAT would have been a meaningful experience.
Click to expand...

Even though it didn't work out, I for one salute you!
 
quixotecoyote said:
I came so close to boarding the boat my prom was on from an inflatable raft with a bunch of friends dressed as pirates and delivering a bunch of pizzas. We even had the guy on board with the rope ladder to attach to the railing.

Unfortunately one of my grandparents needed to go to the hospital and we couldn't use the van for transport.

THAT would have been a meaningful experience.
Click to expand...

Admittedly this has got to be one of the most creative failed prom stories I've ever heard of ... A couple of hours of motion sickness later you might have been lucky enough to collectively hurl pizza-beer chunks all over your "captives".
 
a_unique_person said:
The school hosted non segregated ones and there was not enough support, but the segregated ones are supported.
Click to expand...

According to the article:

The senior proms held by Montgomery County High School students — referred to by many students as “the black-folks prom” and “the white-folks prom” — are organized outside school through student committees with the help of parents.

....

Principal Luke Smith says the school has no plans to sponsor a prom
Click to expand...
 
parky76 said:
this is one of the many reasons why I HATE the South.

I cannot believe that any school in the USA would still have segregated proms. Makes me want to puke.

This is 2009 right? Not 1909? Unbelievable.

:(
Click to expand...

Reading comprehension not your strong suit, eh?
 
So the head screw tried it a dozen years ago and it didn't work...nice effort, fellow. Don't get discouraged.

Also, I guess he lost his bully pulpit. If he was out there demanding fully integrated proms and shaming the parents kids who are promoting anything else, he might make a difference. But nooooo, look at '95.

In my book, he's a closet racist.

ETA: ...with no cajones.
 
Damien Evans said:
Reading comprehension not your strong suit, eh?
Click to expand...

So parky appears to have gotten the impression that the segregated proms are school-sponsored - does that mistake really detract from his point? I think it's kind of trivial - it's still segregated proms, it's still 2009, and it's still disgusting.
 
This doesn't actually surprise me. I remember reading ( in the early 1990s) about a school in Toronto, of all places, where the black kids were organizing their own prom because they felt that the school-supported prom would insufficiently reflect their "black culture". There are still groups in Toronto agitating for "blacks-only" schools.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom