McMillen Not Invited to Substitute Prom

Students and parents in Fulton, Miss., have organized a substitute prom after 18-year-old Constance McMillen's school nixed the event for everyone, because she wanted to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. The caveat is that she's not invited.

The substitute prom was organized at a furniture mart in nearby Tupelo, according to The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss. Because it is a private event, McMillen's exclusion is no longer a constitutional issue, according to Benjamin Griffith, the school board attorney.

After being turned down by school administrators, McMillen petitioned the Itawamba County school board to let her attend the Itawamba Agricultural High School prom with her girlfriend on April 2. The American Civil Liberties Union got involved, requesting that the school reverse the earlier rejection of her request. Instead of allowing her to come to the prom, the school canceled the event. The ACLU then filed a federal suit, claiming that McMillen's freedom of expression rights were violated.