Teen sues school district for barring her from dance

[nickel]

Confederate flag or prom dress?

http://images.chron.com/content/news/photos/04/12/23/dress.jpg
Jacqueline Duty, holding her Confederate flag-themed prom dress, speaks to the press Monday with her lawyer Earl-Ray Neal outside the Federal Courthouse in Lexington, Ky.

LEXINGTON, KY. - A teenager is suing her school district for barring her from the prom last spring because she was wearing a dress styled as a Confederate battle flag.

The lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court claims the Greenup County district and administrators violated Jacqueline Duty's First Amendment right to free speech and her right to celebrate her heritage at predominantly white Russell High School's prom May 1. She also is suing for defamation, false imprisonment and assault.

"Her only dance for her senior prom was on the sidewalk to a song playing on the radio," said her lawyer, Earl-Ray Neal.

Duty, 19, is seeking actual and punitive damages in excess of $50,000.

She said she worked on the design for the dress for four years, though she acknowledged that some might find the Confederate flag offensive.

"Everyone has their own opinion. But that's not mine," she said. "I'm proud of where I came from and my background."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2960405

[ski]

The dress is ugly.

Now that that's said, there have been many cases over the years between kids and school districts over free speech. This ain't anything new, but it will be interesting to see how it will turn out.

[look_ma]

I thought free speech didnt apply to students in schools? I think the school did the right thing, only because if they let her in, someone would have been offeneded and sued.

[dsuds]

If you wear a Confederate-flag dress to your prom..... you might be a redneck.

[ialsohaveadream]

She probably wore that because she couldn't get a date.

[BrewMaster]

She probably wore that because she couldn't get a date.
well, I'm sure Bubba would have love to go to the prom with her, 'cept he wasn't out on parole yet.

[cheapie]

what's the false imprisonment all about?

btw, that's the town i was born in.

[brain]

She's 19 years old... A little old to be goin to the prom?

[Jenny]

brain, it said she's 19 now and that they barred her last spring. She was probably 18, a senior, just like the majority of seniors. ;)

[welfareloser]

i'm betting the school had a clear policy about "no confederate flags on your wifebeaters and trucker hats" dress code. she tried to sneak it in on her prom dress. she got what was coming to her :shrug: if she didn't want to ruin her prom experience, she should have chosen a different form of protesting the policy.

[cheapie]

school can say, no pink hair, no striped jeans, not confederate flags, etc. but they CAN'T say certain religious, nationality, etc. symbols are allowed and others aren't. that's discrimination. that's illegal. not suppressing her freedom of speech which as already been pointed out isn't covered in a school setting.

[YanksFanRy]

I dunno whether I think it's right or wrong on either side. But why make a statement like this at your senior prom, a sacred rite-of-passage through life event? At such a memorable event you should realize doing something like this means you're taking a chance... just go and enjoy yourself without causing issues.

[ialsohaveadream]

I can't tell if your post was sarcastic or not. Sacred rite of passage? A high school prom?

My girlfriend and I skipped ours....and I'd say our night was much more fun. :)

[Houdini]

$50,000? That's a helluva lot of money for this type of crap. The dress idea is just stupid and tasteless. I'm not sure what type of heritage she was trying to celebrate. If it were purely a Southern-semi-Confederate-pride thing, she would have done her homework before spending 4 years making a dress (yeah, right), and designed it like the actual CSA flag, not the battle flag. If she were of German descent, would she have designed a swastika dress?

People sue for anything. Then again, if the school was worried about defending people from being offended and sueing, that would support the idea that people have a right not to be offended. That's not exactly true either. :shrug:

[oblongmelon]

$50,000? That's a helluva lot of money for this type of crap. The dress idea is just stupid and tasteless. I'm not sure what type of heritage she was trying to celebrate. If it were purely a Southern-semi-Confederate-pride thing, she would have done her homework before spending 4 years making a dress (yeah, right), and designed it like the actual CSA flag, not the battle flag. If she were of German descent, would she have designed a swastika dress?

People sue for anything. Then again, if the school was worried about defending people from being offended and sueing, that would support the idea that people have a right not to be offended. That's not exactly true either. :shrug:
If you ask me-the dress isn't any more offensive than breast,back,baring thigh high cut to the crotch dresses that are sold to teenagers for their proms all over the country. I guess if the dress was on a runway in milan(with no mention of a confederate flag) some monkey with alot of dough would drop a few grand on it.

[zenbooty]

If you ask me-the dress isn't any more offensive than breast,back,baring thigh high cut to the crotch dresses that are sold to teenagers for their proms all over the country. I guess if the dress was on a runway in milan(with no mention of a confederate flag) some monkey with alot of dough would drop a few grand on it.Party pooper :pfft:

[kei2]

If you ask me-the dress isn't any more offensive than breast,back,baring thigh high cut to the crotch dresses that are sold to teenagers for their proms all over the country.Hm... enslave people based on race, or be a whore. The one is certainly more offensive to other people than the other.

[ialsohaveadream]

If you ask me-the dress isn't any more offensive than breast,back,baring thigh high cut to the crotch dresses that are sold to teenagers for their proms all over the country.

:stupid: When will the "chicks look hot when dressed like the Amish" fashion trend come back? It's been 140 years, isn't it overdue?

[Mommypooh]

Well she brought it upon herself, that is fine if that is what she want's to be a confed. But she needs to realize that in school you have no rights. Welcome to the real world. Time to shut up and grow up in my opinion.

[Gothic Girl]

The dress is ugly.

:stupid:

[dsuds]

This would be one of the shortest court cases in history if I were the judge.

Defense Atty: "As a school, we have a policy against offensive/disruptive/inappropriate clothing. The Confederate flag is inappropriate for a prom dress, would obviously be offensive to our colored students, and as such, would be disruptive to the prom festivities itself."

Judge (me): Case dismissed... Get outta my courtroom.

[Jenny]

ROFLMAO dsuds Sorry, gotta comment. "colored students" haha Haven't heard that in a long time and I think I've only really ever heard it in movies. :P

and yeah, I'm sorry, she's stupid for that anyway.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Hm... enslave people based on raceUm, people were enslaved based on race under the good ol' stars and stripes far longer than they were under the confederate flag.

[BrewMaster]

Um, people were enslaved based on race under the good ol' stars and stripes far longer than they were under the confederate flag.
yes, but you know very well that the Confederacy wanted to split from the US largely (though not entirely) over the abolition of slavery. the flag thus has become associated with racism and slavery.

[Maarchk]

Sketchy... I think that she should have had it checked out if and i dont see how she wouldn't know it might raise issues. ultimately i think its up to the school to say what is and isn't ok. So yeah, shes kinda dumb. Granted i probably would have let her in, and laughed when no one wanted to dance with her cause they didn't want to associate with someone who does that... Just my thought though. My friend got in trouble in school for wearing an irish shirt on st. patricks day that says, i get lucky all the time. Granted its questionable meaning, but the school said, sorry, nope.

[BrewMaster]

Granted i probably would have let her in, and laughed when no one wanted to dance with her cause they didn't want to associate with someone who does that...

that's kind of how i feel. the school could have let her in and it never would have been an issue. i'm not saying that the school should have let her in by any means, just maybe some things could have been avoided that way. sure, some people may have been offended, but i doubt anyone would have sued if they let her in without incident. i guess we'll never know though.

[oblongmelon]

:stupid: When will the "chicks look hot when dressed like the Amish" fashion trend come back? It's been 140 years, isn't it overdue?Apparently 25,000 Amish husbands have no complaint.
I suggest you take note of some classic Movies with Old school stars like Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly. It's possible to look beautiful without looking like a corner queen.

[WhiskeyPapa]

yes, but you know very well that the Confederacy wanted to split from the US largely (though not entirely) over the abolition of slavery. the flag thus has become associated with racism and slavery.Actually, the confederate battle flag is associated with racism mainly because of the work of the KKK, neo-nazis, skin-heads and other white supremacist groups long after the civil war. Don't get me wrong, the southern cross is rightfully considered a symbol of racism now, but not because of its use from 1861 to 1865.

Also, you may be interested in knowing that most of the residents of the slave states were not supporters of slavery. Southern mamas did not send their sons to die to defend or protect that practice, considered abhorrent by most. Their beef was with the growing federal government.

97 percent of southerners did not own slaves. The economy of the south was in shambles at the start of the Confederacy. Mainly because the 97 percent who didn't own slaves had to compete for jobs with this huge source of free labor. If you could take a time machine back to the 1860's, I doubt you could find one reb who would say he was fighting to insure the continuance of slavery.

No worry, your response was exactly what we were told to say in our years of government school training.

[ialsohaveadream]

Apparently 25,000 Amish husbands have no complaint.
I suggest you take note of some classic Movies with Old school stars like Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly. It's possible to look beautiful without looking like a corner queen.

Lovely ladies all. That doesn't mean they wouldn't have looked sexy in a dress that has a slit running up to their ass cheek.

The dress doesn't make the lady, the lady makes the dress. There's women that could wear a Hefty bag and still look hot.

[BrewMaster]

Actually, the confederate battle flag is associated with racism mainly because of the work of the KKK, neo-nazis, skin-heads and other white supremacist groups long after the civil war. Don't get me wrong, the southern cross is rightfully considered a symbol of racism now, but not because of its use from 1861 to 1865.

Also, you may be interested in knowing that most of the residents of the slave states were not supporters of slavery. Southern mamas did not send their sons to die to defend or protect that practice, considered abhorrent by most. Their beef was with the growing federal government.

97 percent of southerners did not own slaves. The economy of the south was in shambles at the start of the Confederacy. Mainly because the 97 percent who didn't own slaves had to compete for jobs with this huge source of free labor. If you could take a time machine back to the 1860's, I doubt you could find one reb who would say he was fighting to insure the continuance of slavery.

No worry, your response was exactly what we were told to say in our years of government school training.

it's kind of sickening kb0wwp that you talk about the "residents" of the south and completely disregard black people living there. 97% of southerns didn't own slaves? that's probably because a majority of them were black slaves themselves. Most of the residents of the slave states were not supporters of slavery? Again, probably because most residents were slaves. I know you probably didn't mean it that way so I'm not trying to flame you for it, but come on, remember that you are talking about people.

And for the record, I agree that the flag was demonized by the work of neo-nazis, skin heads, and the KKK.

[DarkFury]

:2far: :2far: :2far:

Definitely not a "good" choice as far as formal attire is concerned. :2far:

I'm sure she probably doesn't even see the problem with it... but then again, alot of folks dont.. :2far:

[BrewMaster]

I'm sure she probably doesn't even see the problem with it... but then again, alot of folks dont.. :2far:
and that's where the whole problem lies. people get so caught up in their "rights" that they forget the humanity of others.

[oblongmelon]

Lovely ladies all. That doesn't mean they wouldn't have looked sexy in a dress that has a slit running up to their ass cheek. Not all dresses back in the day were like body armour with long sleeves,long skirts and high necklines..for example..did you ever see the movie White Christmas? Rosemary Clooney (who was beautiful and thin back then) wore a dress in one of her singing numbers that was black, strapless and fishtailed to the floor. She threw on the black elbow length gloves..and WOW..that was some look..classic, elegant, and very understated beauty.
There were some outfits that naturally-were more risque with the slits, the cleavage, and so forth and so on...but not so much that they would belong in the centerfold of Hustler. You're just from a generation that is so used to seeing so much flesh that there is nothing left to the imagination. Just remember..Elegance is simplicity.



The dress doesn't make the lady, the lady makes the dress. There's women that could wear a Hefty bag and still look hot.
Key word-LADY, and the generational difference in the description of the word.
"Lady"(my generation)..keep your knees together when you sit and get out of cars, dress appropriately, good manners, poise, confidence, grace...
"Lady" (your generation) ..anything that breaths-with boobs, that od's on makeup and puffy lips.
Hell yeh, If I was Carmen Electra-I'd look good in plastic bag too.

[BrewMaster]

"Lady" (your generation) ..anything that breaths-with boobs, that od's on makeup and puffy lips.

while i agree that some people go overboard on that garbage, there's no need to pronounce our entire generation as lacking class, poise, and grace. my fiancee is a LADY in the very best sense of the word.

[nickel]

and that's where the whole problem lies. people get so caught up in their "rights" that they forget the humanity of others.
i so agree with you.

[ialsohaveadream]

"Lady" (your generation) ..anything that breaths-with boobs, that od's on makeup and puffy lips.
Hell yeh, If I was Carmen Electra-I'd look good in plastic bag too.

To be fair, I hate it when my woman wears any makeup at all. And I go for the small chest, nice ass look. And Carmen Electra is trailer trash. :)

My whole point is that you can look great dressed like a "corner queen" or a 50's movie star. Even terrible clothes can't make a beautiful woman look terrible.

[dsuds]

ROFLMAO dsuds Sorry, gotta comment. "colored students" haha Haven't heard that in a long time and I think I've only really ever heard it in movies. :P.

Glad you liked it! I wrote it from the perspective of the defense attorney, figuring that he would use the most arcane, least offending term. Picture Foghorn Leghorn as an attorney.

As for the comments on WHY the civil war happened... Hmmm, how to say this without needing asbestos underwear....

Slavery was only part of the picture. Slavery was wrong. Period. But it was used as a means to an end. The large farms, mostly located in the south, needed a way to work the land. Like all good capitalists, they found the cheapest way... slavery. Remember, there wasn't any machinery to do farm work until late in the 1800's. The only other option would have been to hire workers, or sharecrop.

The south did not have the industrial capability of the north. Being very protectionist in it's attitudes, the south favored strong state's right for interstate tariffs. This would allow each state time to build it's own industrial base. The north had a broader view, wanting a strong federal government that could muster defenses to withstand attacks from the superpowers of the day. The south saw the elimination of interstate tariffs as an insurmountable roadblock to industrial development. Add this to the end to slavery, and it becomes easier to see why the south saw this as an attack on their very way of life. It also explains why the fighting was so intense, literally pitting brother against brother.

[BrewMaster]

i so agree with you.
we don't see that too often. glad we can agree on something. :cheers:

[oblongmelon]

while i agree that some people go overboard on that garbage, there's no need to pronounce our entire generation as lacking class, poise, and grace. my fiancee is a LADY in the very best sense of the word.
i didnt say your ENTIRE generation-please don't take out of context what I said. There are variable differences throughout the ages on what is considered to be proper for women (ie: clothing,mannerisms-etiquette in general). No one is "born" being a lady-it's learned..but it's common knowledge that what was acceptable behavior for a woman 25 years ago is completely different than what is acceptable today. Think about it..25 years ago or more-no one would have even thought about walking around on a beach in a thong bikini-today-no one blinks..if you did it back then you'd surely be the most popular girl on the beach-and not in a good way..
and how about if the same situation happened 40 years ago? or 50? What would have been the ramifications of the same event even prior to that? Look, there is a change with every generation whether it be in attitude, clothing, manners or all of the above. For you to disagree with that is complete blindness to the evolution of the Female mystique in general.

[BrewMaster]

Key word-LADY, and the generational difference in the description of the word.
"Lady"(my generation)..keep your knees together when you sit and get out of cars, dress appropriately, good manners, poise, confidence, grace...
"Lady" (your generation) ..anything that breaths-with boobs, that od's on makeup and puffy lips.
Hell yeh, If I was Carmen Electra-I'd look good in plastic bag too.
i don't believe i took it out of context. sure, there are generational differences in how people behave. that i agree with, but in the way you put it above, whether intentionally or not, you appear to be saying that in my generation any skank can be considered a lady whereas in your generation only the appropriately dressed and best behaved woman was called a lady. in that respect I disagree. i think we still know what is classy and appropriate even if there are more skanks per capita in our generation than yours. i think that in my generation still only the appropriately dressed and best behaved women are called ladies. and no, Carmen Electra doesn't fall into that category, but then again no one here called her a lady to begin with.

[oblongmelon]

i don't believe i took it out of context. sure, there are generational differences in how people behave. that i agree with, but in the way you put it above, whether intentionally or not, you appear to be saying that in my generation any skank can be considered a lady whereas in your generation only the appropriately dressed and best behaved woman was called a lady. in that respect I disagree. i think we still know what is classy and appropriate even if there are more skanks per capita in our generation than yours. i think that in my generation still only the appropriately dressed and best behaved women are called ladies. and no, Carmen Electra doesn't fall into that category, but then again no one here called her a lady to begin with.perhaps it's the way you interpreted what I said..either or it's tit for tat.

[BrewMaster]

perhaps it's the way you interpreted what I said..either or it's tit for tat.
i'll accept that. i probably misinterpreted you. all is well in Wonderland again. :D

[welfareloser]

skanky is as skanky does, not just as it appears. there were plenty of skanks in previous generations too, regarless of how well-groomed they were in appearance ;)

liz taylor... too much skanky behavior to list it all...

audrey hepburn was likely banging jfk for awhile... grace kelly is purported to have had extra-marital affairs...

i guess the biggest difference is that appearances are less important in this generation... maybe not less important, but there is certainly a much broader range to what is acceptable. you can sit with your knees clamped shut in a skirt or spread wide while wearing jeans, and (almost) nobody's going to think the less of you one way or the other. i, for one, am glad society no longer requires me to wear a dress, a corset, do anything with my hair besides brush and wash it, etc. girls can be seen as perfectly acceptable girls in elegant clothing like obby describes, in skimpy hobag outfits ;), or in jean and ballcap... tons of makeup, a little makeup, no makeup... and all three can get the same amount of interest from guys. and exposing more skin is less scandalous, which is simply a relief, too. skin is just skin :shrug: ho is more an attitude than a mode of dress. i think i'm glad i wasn't born in the 1940's...

[BrewMaster]

skanky is as skanky does...

i wonder if that was a deleted line from Forest Gump.

[Forest Gump] Momma always says, skanky is as skanky does...[/Forest Gump]

[Jane83]

oh boohoo

[faither]

MAybe someone can shed a little light on this for me but other than hatred and a horrible period in our country's history, what does that cracker-ass cracker flag stand for?

[Nija]

States'/Individual Rights?

[DaFunkyUnit]

well, I'm sure Bubba would have love to go to the prom with her, 'cept he wasn't out on parole yet.

lets not trash talk her brother...

[eSDee]

MAybe someone can shed a little light on this for me but other than hatred and a horrible period in our country's history, what does that cracker-ass cracker flag stand for?

:heh: Wasn't expecting that from you faither.

[ialsohaveadream]

cracker-ass cracker
:heh:....who are you, me?

[whitak24]

her lawyer's name is earl-ray :heh:

what's the false imprisonment all about?
false imprisonment is holding someone against their consent and without authority. so for example, if a store thinks you are a shoplifter, has security grab you and keep you in the manager's office for an hour while they wait for the cops to arrive (only to find that you've stolen nothing), you probably have a false imprisonment claim (among several others).

in this case, i would assume that she showed up to the prom wearing her stupid, ugly dress and instead of being let into the room with the dance, the principal made her go wait in some side room while they debated what to do with her. that time she was "held" in the side room is (could be) false imprisonment.

[Houdini]

it's kind of sickening kb0wwp that you talk about the "residents" of the south and completely disregard black people living there. 97% of southerns didn't own slaves? that's probably because a majority of them were black slaves themselves. Most of the residents of the slave states were not supporters of slavery? Again, probably because most residents were slaves. I know you probably didn't mean it that way so I'm not trying to flame you for it, but come on, remember that you are talking about people.

And for the record, I agree that the flag was demonized by the work of neo-nazis, skin heads, and the KKK.


Since this thread has been bumped already, I thought I'd comment here. I don't think kb0wwp was ignoring the slaves and other black residents at all. Slaves were a pricey commodity at the time, and few in the slave states could actually own them. Not everyone was the wealthy plantation owner we typically think of when considering antibellum Southern white people. Your average white person at the time was rather poor and didn't own much if any land.

I honestly don't think the average rebel soldier gave a damn whether slavery existed in the North, South, or anywhere, unless he was anti-slavery on a rightfully moral basis. It was an issue that didn't affect him.

Civil War history is a very interesting field, especially when considering the diplomacy that happened in the months leading up to the initial shots. And it is weird how certain things are left out of the aspects of the war related in modern schools, such as how Lincoln exempted the border states from slave emancipation as a political measure in the EP. :shrug:

[nate el bueno]

you just have to be plain stupid to do that...

[faither]

:heh: Wasn't expecting that from you faither.

Why, thank you!




....who are you, me?

hehehehe



I cannot understand hate-in-the-heart rednecks and as such, unless I expressly know otherwise, look at them all like cracker-ass-crackers.

Thank you Mr. Rock for the term.

[ialsohaveadream]

Thank you Mr. Rock for the term.

"I tell ya this, if the revolution ever come, I'll kill her FIRST! Just to show these crackas I mean business!"

I remember there was a local girl when I was in high school who wore some sort of Confederate flag ensemble to school, and got suspended for it. So the newspaper interviewed her, and she talked about how she was just showing her pride in her Southern roots.

And where were her "Southern roots"? West Virginia. :heh: And if you don't get why that's hilarious, google it.

[ShawnLee]

And where were her "Southern roots"? West Virginia. :heh: And if you don't get why that's hilarious, google it.Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. But yes, in fairness to her WV is still the south, as it was once part of Virgina proper.

I'm waiting on a southerner who cares to pipe up about this because there are still people in the south who refuse to acknowledge Lincoln as the rightful president, people who still believe that there's a right to secede, etc. etc. etc.

[whitak24]

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. But yes, in fairness to her WV is still the south, as it was once part of Virgina proper.
right, but the term "once" is why her actions were so hilarious. West Virginia became a state because people of western virginia did not want to be part of the confederacy. granted, there is dispute about how accurately this decision reflected the views of all the residents of the area. see http://www.wvculture.org/history/statehoo.html

the fact remains, however, that for someone from WV to say that a confederate flag is a reflection of her "southern" roots is pretty funny.

[Houdini]

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. But yes, in fairness to her WV is still the south, as it was once part of Virgina proper.

I'm waiting on a southerner who cares to pipe up about this because there are still people in the south who refuse to acknowledge Lincoln as the rightful president, people who still believe that there's a right to secede, etc. etc. etc.

Hey, I'm a Southerner, though people never can place my accent or lack thereof. As I said, the dress was stupid on so many levels, as was the lawsuit and the entire issue. Many Southerners who believe in all that wacko secession rights stuff, etc., don't even know what the actual CSA flag looked like. :shrug:

[cheapie]

many people honestly do think it represents their heritage and don't connect slavery with the flag. my family is from georgia and i was born in kentucky so i do have a bit of a connection with the south. admittedly, my family isn't made up of necks. the are doctors, commercial pilots, and in law and finance. but they are southern. they like the south and are proud of being southern. however, i'm SURE i'll never see a confederate flag on their vehicles or houses. but southern pride doesn't always include lynching, hate, summer teeth (some are there, some aren't), and nascar. it can be about iced tea, pine trees, red dirt, and not being a yankee....whatever that means. my g'ma still doesn't like the fact my dad moved up north and is one of them dayummm yankees. he did just move to NC so that makes it better i suppose.

[ialsohaveadream]

it can be about iced tea

It's SWEET tea, thank you very much. :rolleyes: I swear. F**kin yankees.

[cheapie]

lol. yep. you're right.

and it's "would you like some sweet tea HONEY?"

[GracieBayb]

my concern here is that it took her FOUR YEARS to design a simple dress like that... wow, FOUR YEARS, and that's all you could come up with?