No Same Sex Couples Need Apply for Student Discounts

I am a Mizzou student starting this fall.  This past year, I was a UMKC student, online anyway. You see, a client clued me in that if you take a college course for credit, you can sign up for student health insurance. The group of students that form the pool of potential insured is much younger than me, generally youngsters. In their 20s and in good health. As a 60 year-old, this is the insurance pool I am happy to be in - providing great health insurance coverage at very reasonable rates. I am gladly expanding my educational horizons one class at a time.  So far, at UMKC, I have taken The History of Rock and Roll and How It Works - introductory physics for non-majors.  I decided to switch to Mizzou because it has a greater variety of online courses and I have always wanted to take an astronomy class.

I start Astronomy in August, and to my surprise, I am entitled to a plethora of student benefits, including a student discount to athletic events.  Apparently, Mizzou student tickets to football and basketball games are in high demand and short supply. I can request student tickets for me, and my spouse. Yup, my spouse gets the student discount, too.  Apparently, this spouse benefit is quite a coveted perk. If my spouse wants to cash in on this great deal, I have to supply my marriage certificate. Not just anyone can claim this companion deal, only those certified by the state as spouses.

Now, I can understand the university's need to restrict student seating. Student friends and acquaintances could fill Faurot Field, leaving wealthy donors out in the cold. I understand restricting student seating to just one accompanying ticket, or maybe fewer because of space needs. But why must there be a marriage between a man and a woman before a student gets two seats?  Is there some need for the ability to procreate in order to sit next to the one you love at a freaking football game? Is a committed relationship not good enough for football?  Should two people of the same sex be prohibited from obtaining basketball student seats because of religious doctrine?

People have weird rules for weird reasons. Sorry, gay people, you and your loved one will both have to be enrolled as students if you want to get student rates to see football or basketball with the one you love.

See today's article on the push to stop discrimination for sexual orientation in Missouri's Senate sponsored by Senator Jolie Justus. http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/16/4297080/push-for-gay-rights-wins-victory.html

P.S.  Al,though student ticket policy may be unchanged, the University of Missouri did allow a change in student health benefits today.  http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/17/4297366/university-of-missouri-approves.html:// That is progress!