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An Indiana high school has reversed a policy that said a lesbian student could not wear a tuxedo to her prom. The school's principal had initially told her that she could not wear a tuxedo, citing a long-standing policy dictating that men must wear tuxedos and women must wear dresses.
An Indiana high-school has reversed a policy that said a lesbian student could not wear a tuxedo to her prom. The school's principal had initially told her that she could not wear a tuxedo, citing a long-standing policy dictating that men must wear tuxedos and women must wear dresses. The student sued, saying that Lebanon High School violated her right to express herself and discriminated against her because of her gender.
According to the Indiana Star, district superintendent Robert L. Taylor said that the issue has been resolved, though the school board will have to vote to accept the agreement.
"School policy for this year's prom will be that all attendees shall wear appropriate formal attire with no gender-based attire requirements imposed," the statement said. "Female students will be permitted to wear tuxedos if they choose."
Ken Falk, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the student's attorney, said his client is pleased with the decision and will attend the April prom in a tuxedo.
"We think this is what the decision should have been all along, that there was never any justification for the policy," Falk said. "It's unfortunate that we had to go this far."
