In some towns in the Southern United States, racially integrated schools still hold segregated proms. That's right, one prom for the white students, and another prom for the black students. I guess there are still some vestiges of the "separate but equal" doctrine in parts of America.
The link below tells the story of one such school in Montgomery Country, Georgia. It really saddened me to read the story, but even worse to hear the audio slide show in which the voices of some of the students of the school, who are still effected by racial attitudes that have no place in America.
How does the community get away with this, and what constitutional issues are involved? Check out the link to find out.
In Georgia, Segregation Endures on Prom Night - NYTimes.com
18 comments:
Current Event #10
This is totally unfair to all the students (both black and white), because that means that if a white boy wants to take a black girl to prom then they couldn't go since the prom's are segregated. Both even worse is the that some students are still affected by racial attitudes even after 35+ years. This totally violates I think the 14th amendment, but on one hand they equal even though they are separate.
Alex Short
Period 2
Total violation of the 14th amendment. We didn't create the equal protection clause for nothing, this is ridiculous Corraggio. We're in the 21st century, there should be no racial segregation whatsoever. This divided prom stuff probably messes with the kids' minds, they'll all most likely grow up to be huge racists now.
-Dylan Dislers
This is a violation of the 14th amendment. The black kids probably think less of themselves and the white students might feel guilt, just like in the movie we watched in class. I don't know how any segregation is still allowed in America.
-Conner Spani
When I saw this it shocked me. I understand that there is still racism in the U.S. but segregation?!?! i mean come on. What year are we in? This is horrible and it’s sad that the some towns in the south still believe in this stuff. They need to realize that we are all equal. It’s a huge violation to the 14th amendment. I feel bad for these kids. Prom should be everyone together with no segregation. I thought segregation was over with. I guess not?
i think that this is absolutely ridiculous. Having a segregated prom completely violates the fourteenth amendment and takes two steps backwords to the great feet we've overcome electing President Obama to office. I simply can't believe that racism like this still exsists especially when it's illegal according to their rights as americans according to the fourteenth amendment.
This pretty much makes the 14th ammendment mean nothing. To remind what the 14th ammendment says is that all people born or naturalized in the united states are citizens. And no state can deny them their basic rights. or deny them thier equal protection of the law. This definatley makes the black students feel inferior to the white because the black students are fine with the whites coming to their prom but if blacks want to come to thiers its turned down and they dont understand why and no one has given them a straight answer so of course they are going to feel inferior for people to not want them to come to one event in the whole school year and not get any real straight explanation to why.
This is segration at its fullist. Ive never seen an example of todays segregation methods today including senior prom. Seeing that it does go against the 14th amendment it just shows that segregation and racism is still a factor in todays lifestyle.
Junior jack
Per.5
I can't believe this. I thought the US had gotten past segregation after the civil rights movement. This is a complete violation of the 14th amendment. This makes the black students feel inferior to the whites because they aren't allowed to go to the white prom. Also they feel inferior because they weren't given a reason why the prom was segregated. It's just not fair.
~A.K.
Period 2 Current Event 10
yes as everyone ahead of me has stated. this is in violation on the 14th amendment. but if the students really cared about stopping segregation they would all go to the black prom which is open to everyone. so basically the kids are chossing to have it this way. seeing they dont seem to want to change.
I think this situation is unbelievable. I know there are still racism around, but segregation? It's not fair for those teenagers to have to go to prom and not be able to hang out with whoever they want because of the segregated prom. Prom is suppose to be the last dance they go to and have fun with ALL their friends. This violates the 14th amendment, but I guess it's still equal but separated. Even though it's not fair. When are people going to realize that all people are he same no matter what race, gender, age? We're all the same living in America? But I guess some people are still living in the past and we can't really blame them but for what happened in the past to make people still like this.
Nga N.
06/05/09
Current Event #10
This prom violates the 14th amendment completly. I think that this prom is not fair there are many people who have friends that are white and many other people that have friends that are black and because of this prom they cant spend a really memorable moment in their highschool experience with all of thier friends. on the other hand people still do think that balck and white people that should be segregated but we are in the
21st century and there is no segregation anymore. i think that this school needs to upgrade with time and it is time to start having a segregated prom. I think that all the kids would agree thtat it is a good time to now have a prom with black and white people. we as a society have come along way and this prom is just holding things back from going further.
current event #10
6/5/2009
current event #10: I read about this in a magazine as well, and the first time i read it I was in shock. I couldn't believe that segregation like this was still going on- and its a part of these students lives. This is a total violation of the 14th amendment, I mean why even have the amendment if your not going to follow it? Its ridiculous that they split the students up into two proms. Its forcing the students to view the world in totally different ways- that they are not equal becuase of the color of their skin, that they cant even spend one of the most memorable nights of their high school years together. This is stupid and makes me so angry that its still going on today and the government is not doing anything about it.
This is complete opposing of the 14th amendment which states that all people born or naturalized in the united states are citizens. And also that no state can deny them their basic rights. Or deny them, their equal protection of the law. These teens should be together to celebrate their senior year. What about the teens that have friends of the other race? Do they just miss out on spending one of their last high school memories with one of the people that made life going to that school even just a little more bearable? These moments that we live in build us to be the people we will eventually be in the real world. Isn't high school suppose to prepare us for the real world? In the real world there is not segregation for the people that just don't get along. There is a time in everyone's life where they just need to grow up and get over themselves.
Wow segregation still going on even in the 21st century? This is a major violation to the 14th amendment. What ever happen to the separate but equal protection clause? What happens if 2 people of a different race have feelings for each other, they wont be able to go together this is basically saying all that we have overcome and progress we have made with racism in the last 50 years is nothing. I think we should do something about this because it is a disgrace to the United States.
Mr Joyner
In the movie we watched it showed how black kids thought of themselves as lesser and insignificant. It also said the white kids felt guilty, this might still apply to modern day kids. Also this is a violation of the 14th ammendment and blatantly racist. I hate the south!
-Megan Amacker
Josh Potter
Who has the power and it allowed to do this? That is what i want to know because i know the supreme court would unanomously overturn this ridiculous decision in a heartbeat if they had the chance. Look at the message you are sending. Seems pretty messed up to me. This definately goes against the 14th amendment, therefore it is unconstitutional. Who ever was behind this should be punished in my opinion.
(Current event #1 make up)
The idea of having a prom for white kids and a prom for black kids is ridiculous. First of all it makes it so that you can only have a date that is the same skin color as you which is unfair to the students. Racism is something that will never be completely gone but I didn’t think segregation like this was still present in our country. Though it is a definite violation of the 14th amendment, in a way it is still equal but separate which is probably how the school got away with it. Looking at this it appears as if we are back where we started.
Keegan Malmanger
EXTRA CREDIT
When i first read this i was very surprised i did not know that there was still segregation happening in this country. this is uncostituutional because it violates the fourteenth amendment which talks about how basic rights can't be denied and also equal protection. i think that it was a bad idea for this school to have a segregated prom. i think that it would make african american students feel inferior.
Spencer Truong
Period 5
EXTRA CREDIT
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