I’m writing to ask that you reconsider your ruling on the yearbook photo of Ceara Sturgis.

I can certainly understand that you want yearbook photos to be dignified and proper. Were Ms. Sturgis to be photographed in a provocative manner (say, a showgirl costume, or without drapes) I would understand your decision to block the photo.

However, when a young woman chooses the path of wearing clothing that is modest, orderly, and respectful of the institution, I fail to see the difficulty. Yes, a tuxedo is more typically clothing of a man, but many women have worn them in dignified, even iconic roles.

Also, I understand that from your point of view, the photo is provocative, in the sense of provoking comment. I suggest to you that the best way to deal with such things is not to draw attention to them; by making an issue of the photo, you’ve drawn national attention to a matter that you had hoped not even to appear in a school yearbook. Now it’s all over the Internet, and probably People Magazine is next.

Please reconsider. The young woman has chosen to express herself in a harmless manner. You may disagree with her choice, but is making a national issue of it really going to accomplish your desired end? By stepping back, you will make this a non-news item, and really, that’s what it is.

Sincerely yours,

Rabbi Ruth Adar

We the Parents, Friends, and Family of Lesbians and Gays would like to express our concern for your decision to uphold Principal Greer’s decision to not allow Ceara Sturgis’ photo to be placed in the yearbook. It seems this is a right of passage that many thousands of students get to experience in their life. Ceara has attended school and made it to her senior year. A yearbook photo is celebrating and recognizing her achievement to get to this point. Why is there such a problem with her wearing a tuxedo in her picture?

Your decision to uphold Principal Greer’s decision to intervene in the publication of Ceara Sturgis’ yearbook photograph based on a personal “conviction,” a conviction without any objective policy rationale, is inconsistent with the values of the Copiah County School District, whose stated mission is to provide “learning opportunities that will enable students to become productive and well-adjusted citizens in an ever-changing society.” Indeed, it is difficult to see his exercise of power as anything other than a simple case of bullying.

It seems with the many issues we face today such as economic, poverty, teen age pregnancy, bullying, drop out rates, that our concern for a girl wearing a tuxedo in her picture should be of little value. This is how she wants to be remembered, as the person she truly is and not some made up person wearing a dress or feminine clothes to conform to your standards. Women can run for president, serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, and preside over our nation’s most prestigious universities. And yes, they can even wear tuxedos. Please address this injustice, and allow Ceara Sturgis’ photograph to be published in the 2009 Wesson Attendance Center high school yearbook.

Respectfully,

PFLAG-Laurel, MS

High School is one of the most important periods in our children’s lives, During this time, they are moving on from relating to the world in terms of being their immediate surroundings & in being their friends & family to involving their community at large, the country, and the whole of society. Part of the development in high school and in many cases even beginning in junior high school, students begin to understand who they are sexually, culturally, etc. For example, a female student may become aware of her right to not be treated differently by male students as she begins to develop during puberty. A Latino or African America child may develop a since of cultural pride while studying Latino or African culture at home or at school and decide to wear some representation of that for a class picture. Like the female student, a gay student may develop a since of pride and an understanding that, they have a right not to be discriminated against, abuse, or otherwise mistreated by classmates or society as they begin to understand their sexuality. It can be a challenging and emotional time for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth as, not all of their friends and or family will be excepting or understanding. So, when school officials do things like, not allowing queer youth to wear opposite gender clothes for class pictures, it can only add to the since of nonacceptance, and can even contribute to increased harassment, and abuse when, it comes to light that, these students were turned down from wearing their tux, etc.

It saddens me to hear of yet another case in the south in which a student is subjected to harassment based simply upon clothing. There is no obscenity nor embarassment here, simply gender expression. I’ve only seen Ceara’s picture, but I see nothing there that should exclude in from a high school year book.

I just missed the days when girls had to kneel on the floor to make sure their dresses were long enough. I hope we are not seeing a return to those days of ardent sexism. Between the reaction of your administration, and that of North Cobb High School in Georgia recently, though, I am concerned.

Instead of passing judgement, shouldn’t you instead be proud one of your students has enough self-awareness and confidence to dress in a manner that not only reflects their self-image, but does so in a tasteful manner? That, to me, speaks well of her home life and her school life. It should be celebrated when our young people know who they are.

Regards,
T.M. Ricker

CONCERN? Wait, this really does not concern any of us, This is a right that ALL of us have! Let me start over…..

Idiots who are shaping our children futures…..

Do you remember the good old days when girls wore dresses and guy wore jeans to school? Everyone would go to sock hops on Saturday night and mama would be home getting the roast ready that everyone would sit down and eat after Church on Sunday. Dad would be out back studing the Bible lesson he had to teach to the youngsters the next morning. Oh what a lovely life it was then!

Now however we have to worry about Drugs, Violence, and Just plain MEANNESS while watching our kids get on the bus in the morning. AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS? Really? I have been through Wesson a couple of times and I must say that there is not much there. But I would have figured they would have let someone with more sense than let people like you run the school?

How many of your students are dropping out, getting pregnant, or failing school? And you are worried about a girl wanting to wear something that is acceptable in her Senior Portrait? I never understood Senior portraits, why do they ask the girls to wear a drape? A drape that actually shows more than you would allow us to wear on a normal school day?

I do however want to ask you a few questions

1 – How would you react if you found out that a child of yours was gay/lesbian? Would you cut them out of you life?

2 – Is this how you would like your career defined? You will always be known as the guy that lost

3 – Do you think that the county or state will fight this? ACTUALLY spend money on this? No – they hear ACLU and will buckle!

I DO realize that we are in the Bible belt but the more educated people get the more we realize that we have to be accepting of all people, cultures, and beliefs….. Just as you would want them to accept yours…..

Proud Mother in Rankin County

Laurie Williams

It is a shame that in today’s world we are still subjecting our youth to such bigotry and pain that you have chose to subject Ms. Ceara Sturgis to by refusing to post her senior portrait in your school’s yearbook.

You and your faculty and staff have been deemed as appropriate mentors, role-models, and teachers for the children and young adults of the state of Mississippi. Knowing that you are willing to “bully” one of these young adults that have been trusted to your care is unacceptable. Do we really want our children to be taught and mentored by people that are only showing them how to hate?

I know that you have received many emails regarding your “personal convictions” and I am sure that all of these emails are being deleted as they come in, however I would like to also take a moment to remind you of the guidelines set forth for you by the Mississippi Department of Education regarding your personal opinions on matters involving the school. I have taken some time to make bold and underline what I find to be the most important statements in the follow excerpt from what is expected of you as school “officials”. The state Department of Education’s Employee Policy & Procedure manual states:

“As defined by Section 25-4-103 of the Mississippi Code 1972 Annotated, all employees of the Department of Education are public servants employed and compensated by the State of Mississippi. A high degree of public trust has been placed on each position and in each employee. All employees should be mindful of this trust and should conduct themselves with professionalism and in such a manner as to reflect this trust. Employees must avoid all actual or potential conflicts between their public responsibilities and duties and their private affairs. Every effort should be undertaken to minimize even the appearance of any such conflict.”

To treat any Mississippian, or human being for that matter, the way that you are treating Ms. Sturgis is clearly a conflict to the above mentioned trust that has been bestowed upon you by this state, the parents, and the children of this state. Please make the right decision and allow Ceara Sturgis’ picture to be published in your school’s yearbook. Make the right decision and show us that we are putting our trust and our children in correct hands on a daily basis.

Respectfully,

Jared L. Surrette

A very concerned Mississippi resident