Letter to the editor

This letter is in response to the letter (“Disappointments could have been easily avoided,” November 16, 2007) written by Judy French concerning her views about the South Panola High School DECA Beauty Review held on November 10.

I also attended this pageant, and I stayed until the end of the program.

My granddaughter, along with one of her cousins, was a participant in the pageant.

When I questioned them concerning the rules and regulations of the pageant, they both told me that written copies of the rules governing the pageant were given to all the contestants prior to the pageant.

They also informed me that verbal rules concerning the prohibited wearing of gowns with splits above the knee were voiced to each contestant prior to the pageant.

The statement made by Ms. French that the contestants were informed of the prohibited wearing of hair extensions and gowns with splits above the knee AFTER the pageant was over is untrue. This list of rules was given to each contestant at the approximate time that each contestant paid their $40 entry fee according to the contestants that I questioned.

I believe that the winning contestant had just as much of a chance at winning the contest as every other contestant did. An even more befitting statement would be that every other contestant was given just as much of a chance at winning the contest as the winner was.

The winning contestant had just as great of a chance at winning the contest whether she had been selected from 72 or 20 other contestants. The printed rules and regulations placed all the contestants on an equal, leveled playing field. It was left up to each contestant as to whether or not she would adhere to the rules of the contest or suffer the consequences which accompanied not adhering to the rules and regulations that were set forth (i.e possible disqualification from the contest).

After noting the printed list of contest winners over the past 20 years of the Beauty Review, I noticed that this year’s winner is only the third African-American that has ever won the pageant if I am not mistaken. Also over the past years, Ms. French’s letter is the only letter that I have ever seen printed in The Panolian concerning the supposed unfairness of the conduction of the pageant.

/s/Shannon F. Lamberth