Friday, March 12, 2010
Discrimination due to a Religious belief continues to go in circles
The school board cancels the scheduled prom rather than allow same sex dates and cross dressing. The article provides the basic details of the dispute generated by school board regulations concerning a school sponsored prom dance. The two interesting factors are the school boards decision to cancel the dance and the public stated understanding as to why they took this action.
In the years following the Brown v. School Board Supreme Court decision, many school boards and communities would take this same attempt to be ‘non-discriminatory’ by canceling activities rather than change the segregated patterns. Entire school systems were closed rather than provide integrated education. Their thoughts were that if no program was provided for anyone how could they be accused of discriminating against one segment of the population. The prom dance was an issue even after integrated school were established. In many communities the school system no longer sponsored any dances. Taking the place of school proms, and any other dance activity, parents would hold ‘private’ parties. There would be a dance for white students and maybe a separate dance for black students. Economics was a major factors and frequently no ‘black prom’ dance was organized. The interesting response in many communities where two separate dances were held was that the ‘white prom’ was closed and restricted who could attend while the ‘black prom’ was open to all students. The ‘white prom’ fell to low attendance as the white student would explain that the ‘black prom’ was more fun. From a racial civil rights point the prom issue seems to have become a non-issue. It took years of community change but rarely is racial segregation expressed as an issue in school proms.
Here we see the same tactics used to battle a discrimination case: 1) an injured party brings court action to change a discriminatory practice and the official organization responds by canceling the activity, and 2) the private community responds by providing an alternative activity. The specific details will determine court decisions, but the pattern of this response is most interesting.
The highlight of this issue is the statement at the end of the article. “Southside Baptist Church Pastor Bobby Crenshaw said he's seen the South portrayed as "backwards" on Web sites discussing the issue, "but a lot more people here have biblically based values." “ Again religion is seen as the cause of conflict between segments of society rather than a force to bring society together. Why do such people not look inward and see that something must be wrong a religion that is the source of such conflict.
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