A school district in Rhode Island has ceased their annual father-daughter dance.  Cranston Public Schools ended the dance because school lawyers have concluded the tradition violates the state’s gender discrimination laws.

The father-daughter dance and mother-son ballgames have been banned in the school district after being targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU had this to say on the matter:

The school district recognized that in the 21st Century, public schools have no business fostering the notion that girls prefer to go to formal dances while boys prefer baseball games. This type of gender stereotyping only perpetuates outdated notions of ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ activities and is contrary to federal law.

This type of gender stereotyping only perpetuates outdated notions of ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ activities and is contrary to federal law.

Let me start by saying that the ACLU has done some magnificent things for our society, but this, unfortunately, is not one of them, in my opinion.  These types of activities are chances for the parents to get involved in school activities and, as such, an opportunity to get more involved in their child’s lives outside of the home.  These activities are to promote parents and children bonding.

To politicize and turn such activities and turn them into a polarizing issue by labeling them as “gender discrimination” is sickening.  It harks back to the old “everyone gets a trophy” debate.  You just can’t please everyone all of the time.

I find the “gender discrimination” argument to be cheap.  I could understand if it was something about absent fathers or mothers, but gender discrimination?  Seriously?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.