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‘Gender Discrimination’: ACLU Complaint Puts an End to RI School District’s Father-Daughter Dances

Sep. 19, 2012 8:47am Billy Hallowell

Cranston School District Cancels Father Daughter Dances After ACLU Complaint

Photo Credit: American Civil Liberties Union

Rhode Island dominated headlines earlier this year after a teen atheist successfully sued to have a prayer mural removed from Cranston High School West in Cranston, Rhode Island. Now, there’s two new targets within the very same school district: Father-daughter dances and mother-son baseball games.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has now successfully stopped gender-based events from unfolding. An effort to halt these practices took form after a mother, upset over the fact that her daughter doesn’t have an active father in her life and, thus, feels left out of the aforementioned dance, complained to the civil rights group.

In the end the ACLU was successful in nixing the dances and baseball games, as the school district very quickly bowed to its demands and cancelled both traditions. Cranston Public Schools Superintendent Judith Lundsten said that the events were being halted so that the district would be in compliance with state-gender discrimination law.

“I acknowledge that many of these events have long traditions and for many parents, these types of gender-based events are not an issue,” Lundsten wrote in a letter to school groups. “However, this is a public school system and under no circumstances should be isolating any child from full participation in school activities and events based on gender. Please be all-inclusive when planning your events.”

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung said Tuesday he was “utterly disappointed” that the Cranston schools superintendent removed the events in what the mayor called “the name of political correctness” after the state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union complained last spring.

School Committee Member Andrea Iannazzi also said the committee will consider at a Monday meeting a resolution asking the General Assembly to change state law to allow the events.

ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown has commended the school district for banning gender-based events and has called them inappropriate. Rather than serving as positive and traditional events that members of the community enjoy, Brown claimed that these initiatives play into gender stereotypes (i.e. dances being for girls and baseball games for boys).

“Not every girl today is interested in growing up to be Cinderella — not even in Cranston,” Brown said in a statement. ”In fact, one of them might make a great major league baseball player someday.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(H/T: Inquisitr)

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Comments (139)

ShootStraight01
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:39am
2 Words – Home School.

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- yougottabekidding
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:48am
  That’s what happens when you don’t have father – son dances
  
  Report this comment
- zman173rd
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:07am
  I heard the reason was because the daughter wanted to go to the dance, but because she didn’t have a father she wasn’t allowed to go. So they sued. Makes you wonder, why didn’t the school let her go anyway? I’m caught in the middle here. Doesn’t it sound like the girl got punished because she didn’t have a male figure around, or was she just using that as an excuse to pull the ” I’ll take my Ball and go home” syndrom? My daughter has two dads so can she take both and share one with another, less fortunate? Okay I’m her stepdad (gotcha!!).
  
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- johnjamison
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:37am
  So they punish all the daughters who actually have active fathers and all the fathers who love their daughters for the sake of one. The ACLU and the entire civil court system needs to be revamped to protect teh civil liberties of all. Daughters w/ father as well as fathers without daughters.the easy answer would be allow the fatherless girls mother to step in as the father role during the event…NOT TAKE EVERYONE ELSES LIBERTY AWAY
  
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- N37BU6
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:02am
  It’s actually one word.
  
  Report this comment
- Ray2447
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:16am
  If the ACLU is really interested in ending “gender discrimination,” then they should address all the many ways that gender feminism discriminates against males – as shown in “Witch-Hunting Males” http://tinyurl.com/65dpzwu and “Los Misandry” http://tinyurl.com/27oh7cp at Youtube. Or is the ACLU only interested in “gender discrimination,” when it furthers the Marxist agenda’s goal of destroying traditional families?
  
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- Secret Squirrel
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:39am
  .
  What kind of morons are running the school system?
  One loon complains and everything must change.
  Well, I’m offended by school principals……..bye, bye.
  
  Report this comment
- johnjamison
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:56am
  You got really hate a mayor who sit on the side line and allows this to happen then fakes like he outraged by it. Fact is that mayor is could care less as he political postures with doing anything
  
  Report this comment
- tothepoint
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:58am
  Amen!
  
  Report this comment
- Speak2Truth
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:04pm
  There are two ways to destroy a nation. Kill everyone or destroy the things they believe in.
  
  The ACLU was founded by the Communist Party (Roger Baldwin, etc.) to do its part in the second strategy.
  
  Report this comment
- shakedowncrews
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:09pm
  I don’t see any indication that the girl was prohibited from going without a father, it sounds like she was just sad shedid’t have a father. That’s too bad, but it’s MOM’s fault, not the schools’. If “not every girl is interested in gowin upto become cinerella” then they just shouldn’t attend. But no, this is Liberal logic: I don’t want to go, or I don’t have a dad, so no one else should be able to go either.
  
  Report this comment
- elevenfan
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:36pm
  Excellent answer MIDNIGHTSUN. My granddaughter’s father has never had much to do with her and I, as her grandfather, filled in on many father-daughter events. This mother was after ill-gotten fame.
  
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midnightsun
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:38am
That mother is going to raise a spineless daughter. I’m sorry, I’m a single mom and my daughter’s father has never been a part of her life-his choosing. I have never complained about a Father-Daughter dance and have raised my daughter to not let stuff like that bother her. Does it bother my daughter that her dad is not involved in her life, yes, and we discuss it. I would never think of depriving other’s of this event for my own selfish reasons. So this woman’s daughter will grow up blaming everything that goes wrong in her life because her dad isn’t a part of her life. Grow up and deal with it.

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- Gertiek
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:54am
  Well said, and congrats to you for your insight. The attack on families by the ACLU has been going on for heaven knows how long. I am personally sick of the difference between boys and girls, between reality and fairly land being something we are not allowed to be aware of or speak about. Boys and girls are different. The real world is one in which some kids are blessed with concerned and active fathers, and some are not. Trying to make the ones who have the blessing of a father pay a price to those who do not is asinine. Father/daughter dances have given so many girls precious memories while strengthening that bond between them. Yes, not having a dad presents a situation that has to be addressed, but it seems like that you handle it on an individual level (uncle take her? grandaddy? brother? or eve mom?) rather than punishing everyone who has a dad who is doing the right thing. So typical of liberals. Take your little red ball and go home, that way no one gets to play. Moronic.
  
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- AmericanPatriot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:29pm
  Great post! I’m proud of the job you’re doing for and with your daughter. You’re teaching her SO many valuable things, all in one lesson! You must be a terrific mom and I wish there were more like you. God Bless!
  
  Report this comment
- RobinLionheart
  Posted on September 20, 2012 at 7:44pm
  The real shame here is that they told a fatherless little girl she couldn’t take mom to the dance instead, not that she complained about being discriminated against. But apparently this school would rather stop having dances altogether, then accomodate a single orphan.
  
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AnAmericanToo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:34am
This is a funny story! “One day a girl might grow up to be a major league baseball player” and so the school district will NOT allow mother/son events at baseball games. How many girls now play on the school’s baseball and football teams? And, I was just thinking out many major league female baseball players I have heard about…..hmmmm…hmmmm…I think that is ZERO! It is not all about what the child will or will not grow up to be — it sounds to me like these activities were ways to help develop bonds between child and parent.

One of the families that I know has several girls and a few boys. The girls play team sports plus do dancing. They like to dance and would enjoy a dad / daughter dance. The mother coaches one of the team sports — she is a volunteer coach. The boys do not do dancing but limit themselves to sports.

It is time for these spineless parents to get a back bone and demand that these activities be re-instated, start their own activities program and exclude the state/federally funded school system, and demand that the school budgets be CUT for not providing the activities that it has long included in its budget. Since these school officials will not be called upon to be at such events — slash their salaries.

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- AmericanPatriot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:34pm
  You rock! LOVED your post! Sad that one bad apple is allowed to spoil things for everyone.
  
  I remember how proud I was at my school’s father/daughter dance. My papa was so handsome and could REALLY dance! It was a night I have many fond memories of. And I remember how proud and excited my brother was when he got to invite our mom to a mother/son activity. Sadd that those kids will never have those experiences and memories.
  
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iamsaved
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:29am
Why is it that one person can complain and the courts or the spineless people in charge stop the activities of the 999 because of the one complaint? Why are the 999 people’s complaints ignored? I’ll tell you why. It’s because the people allow it. It’s one thing to say “I’m glad my kids aren’t in public schools anymore” or “why doesn’t the ACLU just quit causing trouble”?. It’s another if the people in the community get actively involved and finally say we’re not going to take it anymore. Until then, the communists in the ACLU (Anti Christian Lawyers Union) are going to keep taking away more and more rights, mainly by threats of legal action.

I was pleased when I read that 75% of the students at a school up north boycotted the school lunch program and brought their lunches when the school district implemented the draconian nutritional standards cheered on by Michelle Obama. They knew complaining to the administration was a waste of time because it was they who condoned it.

Enough it enough. Lip service isn’t going to get results. Writing to your congressman isn’t going to get results. Action will get results.

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- MittensKittens
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:34am
  If that was my school district, I’d take the stand, petition the parents, and demand to have the dances anyway…Cowarding to the ACLU thugs only makes matters worse.
  
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gunslingerpatriot
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:23am
I have a radical idea-have a mother/son dance twice a year (sports for one, and clubs/general student population for the other), and do the same thing for a father/daughter dance as well. This is more than a reasonable compromise, but alas the satanists from the aclu do not know the meaning of the word—compromise.

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- Carl_Newman
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:31am
  This is why we need to limit the power of government agencies. A non-government school can do as it pleases. The solution? Have these events SEPERATE from the ANY government agency. No government school, etc. This is an opportunity to take back what never should have been given to the government.
  
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FEWL
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:22am
I strongly recommend that the parents at this school district hold a ‘daddy-daughter’ dance on their OWN without the school. This is part of what happens with mandatory government education – you are always at the mercy of the latest stupid law, regulation or lawsuit.

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FEWL
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:19am
Are you kidding me??? Its not the other girls’ fault that one girl doesn’t have a dad in her life. This is insane!

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- starman70
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:17am
  Insane??? No, it goes way beyond insane! This is a typical suit brought by the ACLU. An assenine action just to disrupt the normal activities of a school.
  
  I have known of several girls who didn’t have a father in the home. An uncle or other male relative was more than glad to bring the young lady to the dance.
  
  The idea of the parents having the dance as a private affair off school grounds is the best solution to this problem but there are so many other stupid intrusions into school affairs by the government and the ACLU that it is sickening.
  
  The answer – - – if at all possible: HOME SCHOOL HOME SCHOOL HOME SCHOOL!!
  
  While not possible for everyone, it is by far the best answer available for those who can. Otherwise Private school may be the alternative answer.
  
  Also whild I thein of it: WELL DONE AND PLAUDITS TO THE KIDS WHO WALKED OUT OF THE LUNCHROOM AT THE SCHOOL WHICH WAS FOLLOWING “GOVERNMENT GUIDLINES” FOR THE LUNCH MENU!!! When will these JACKASSES in Washington ever learn to leave us alone!!!
  
  Report this comment
barber2
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:18am
The more I see of these liberal, marxist wackos, the more I understand European history, pre-WW II . The pendulum tends to swing to extremes. Dangerous.

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bikerdogred1
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:17am
I guess the communist are taking over already,very good Rhode Island,you show the world you have no balls,just keep selling the people out.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:58am
  I am sure there are conservatives on Rhode Island, they are just keeping low, registering as independents for example.
  
  I believe the last Republican senator was Lincoln Chafee & he was no prize. He was from the same mold as Jumping Jim Jeffords. They have no champion in Rhode Island. They do have supine, supple reeds.
  
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- Walkabout
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:04am
  Governor Lincoln Chafee (formerly a republican) “was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership and supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.”
  
  Like I said “They have no champion in Rhode Island. They do have supine, supple reeds.”
  
  Report this comment
Dano.50
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:15am
Every time someone has had something I didn’t have (It should go without saying, something I wanted.) I either did what they did to get it, (If it wasn’t immoral or illegal.) and/or if I couldn’t get it, my only thoughts “Good for them. Maybe I’ll get lucky some day.”

By the way.

Doesn’t this ‘Everybody should have everything everybody else has’ kind of fall under the “Do not covet” section of some rules or something we’re not allowed to teach our kids anymore?

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- barber2
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:04am
  DANO: Agree. The Far Left has twisted the Judeo-Christain moral code into a dangerous material , political code . Big Brother has replaced God. Collective rights have replaced individual rights. “Redistribution” has replaced private ownership. Karl Marx would be so pleased. And Barack Obama would ” approve of that message.” NOBAMA 2012 NO DEMOCRATS 2012
  
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barber2
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:15am
Am wondering how many tax dollars will be diverted to this absolutely ridiculous “cause.” Just ” using the system to destroy the system.” So Far Left. So economy destroying. So “anti-capitalist.” So Saul Alinsky. So damn disgusting. NOBAMA 2012 NO DEMOCRATS 2012

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EqualJustice
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:10am
These NASTY people are determined to ruin every aspect of our lives. Next they will ban baseball and hot dogs! How UN AMERICAN. Some of our BEST memories as kids includes our Father-Daughter special dance event! What is wrong with a strong father figure who CARES about their kids these days? I think ithis is ALL about the same sex marriage issue again and destroying the American family unit. It sucks.

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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:21am
  It’s also designed to supplant parents roles in their kids lives,the government wants to be the parents of our kids because It’s easier to control them and have them dependent on government from cradle to grave.
  
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- TEXASGRANNY73
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:07am
  Think you may have hit on the key word CARE. If those parents/fathers care then there is obviously one who doesn’t. And mama may have figured that out. And mama is not protecting the child, mama is jealous.
  And mama found a UNION anti Christian and I have called them that for years who put mama in charge. Mama can now sally forth into the school and put her claim on anything that offends her. The ACLU is a union and it seems to me because they are adept at screwing people (should be called the screw people union as well) that we should have freedom of information as to who their 5 million members are. Alan Colmes said on OReilly one night he is a member. Don’t you feel just hunky dory that Alan Colmes is a participant in jerking people around to suit him?
  
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- BloodSweatandTears
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:29pm
  Missed the article about the peanut butter ad jelly sandwich being to white?
  
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msconstrue
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:10am
i am so thankful that my kids are no longer in public schools!!!!!!!

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biohazard23
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:09am
Mom sounds like a whiny, miserable, selfish woman. No wonder she doesn’t have a husband. I pity her daughter. She’s going to grow up to be a miserable, man-hating spinster just like Mommy Dearest.

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- JeannieD
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:26am
  My dad wasn’t around when I was in junior high when they had father-daughter dances…my mom took me out for ice cream and a movie on the night of the dance. It never occurred to us the be bitter or begrudge anyone the special night with their fathers. My mom and I had a nice night bonding because I knew and appreciated that she was doing something special for me…
  
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- biohazard23
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:43am
  Sounds like your mom is a wonderful woman. Unfortunately, this poor little girl isn’t blessed with a caring, loving mother like you are. Give your mom a big hug (if you can) and tell her again how much you love her. :)
  
  When my older kids had their first father-daughter dance, they didn’t even ask their father – they asked their step-father to take them. They prefer his company over their chromosome donor.
  
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- Dismayed Veteran
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:32am
  The timing of this story is almost spooky. On Saturday, my daughter and I were talking about our father/daughter dance. We had a great time. I can close my eyes and vividly see our evening. This truly was a special day for us. It is a shame that fathers and daughters will no longer have the opportunity to have this special evening together. The liberals want to take all the joy out of life and replace it with governmental control.
  
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- biohazard23
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:30pm
  @Dismayed, I’ll bet your daughter is a Daddy’s girl and proud of it. I know I was. :) Blessings to you and your family.
  
  And to my father, RIP, Daddy. I love you.
  
  Report this comment
Soulphoenix
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:07am
Gutless. And ignorant to boot. Do we really have that many unthinking cowards out there? No wonder the piranhas seem to have the upper hand.

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- tearin4242
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:12am
  This is America, if the parents do not like the choice the school made then the parents need to ban together and form a private school.
  
  Seems simple simple to me.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:58am
  TEAR: I like your solution. ” Free ” choice . But costs bucks. The more public we take out of public education, the better it will be..especially, at present, for those who leave .
  
  Report this comment
samheaken
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:06am
After seeing this article and hearing about it on TV, my first thought was that girls should take their dads to prom or homecoming or whatever comes up in the near future. This is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. PC run amok.

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davetrav
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:59am
ACLU–get the hell out of our schools, I have yet to hear any good you do for America–

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The Jewish Avenger
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:58am
First, they came for your cigarettes….

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ares338
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:57am
If there’s anything worse than lawyers, it’s lawyers with ponytails who work for the ACLU!

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GlennaBeckski
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:56am
The whole world is an insane asylum and the inmates are in charge… per John Hagee

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Rickfromillinois
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:54am
So since this one girl couldn’t attend with her father, no one should be able to do it? Put Rhode Island at the top of my list of places to never visit let alone live.

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- FASTCOMPANY
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:26am
  Ditto
  
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progressiveslayer
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:54am
So when is the homosexual,lesbian,transgender dance scheduled?

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- Gonzo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 10:14am
  Will Barry take Malia or Sasha?
  
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RIGS
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:53am
The ACLU (ASS CRACK LICKERS UNION)

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Gonzo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:53am
Ridiculous. Why are we letting the crazies run the show?

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Gary_K
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 8:50am
Read about this yesterday on Drudge and other sites.

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