Monday, September 28, 2009
News Ga. Supreme Court sides with young strippers
Posted by Scott Henry @ScottTheHenry on Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Yes, you read that right. The state Supreme Court today announced a unanimous verdict in favor of five Cheetah dancers who had challenged an Atlanta city ordinance that would've cost them their jobs because they were not yet 21.
Here's the backstory: In late 2007, the city adopted a broadly worded ordinance that would've made bars, nightclubs and strip clubs off-limits to anyone under the age of 21. You may have assumed that was already the rule, but state law allows youngsters from 18-21 to work as exotic dancers, club DJs and even bartenders — they just can't drink.
The city planned to deny an adult-entertainment license to anyone 21, a group that included 19-year-old Cheetah dancer Danielle Barbee and several of her co-workers, who were already dancing legally at the club. Their attorney, Alan Begner, was able to get a Fulton Superior Court judge to issue an injunction allowing the girls to keep dancing under the ordinances they'd already been issued, but the judge ruled against the young strippers.
In overturning the Fulton decision today, the Supremes ruled that the city cannot impose a minimum age for dancers that contravenes existing state law, Begner explains. Therefore, because Georgia allows 18-year-old strippers, Atlanta must follow suit.
I think that's logic we can all agree with.
But there's a twist! Begner says his initial reading of the Court's ruling suggests that, not only can teens work in bars and nightclubs, but they can also patronize these establishments — although, of course, they can't be served alcohol.
If this is so, it would re-open the door for 18-and-over nightclubs, a type of business outlawed by the city back in 2001.
(Cl file photo by Joeff Davis)
Comments (4)
Showing 1-4 of 4
i'm just glad someone is finally thinking of the children...
like
dislikeMe too! Glad their thinking of the rights of this underprivileged class of people.
Local governments are allowed to place restrictions on smoking that are stricter than the state law. I wonder if the state law regarding smoking explicitly allows for this or if this ruling could be used to overturn local smoking bans. Seems like there are all kinds of state restrictions out there that local governments add to that would have to be rolled back.
honestly, the ruling of the supreme court doesn't make any sense.
for example, many townships and counties ban the sale of alcohol, "dry" counties still exist in georgia. but georgia state law doesn't make alcohol illegal— with the logic used in this ruling, localities can't make any ordinances that go above and beyond state ordinances, and that's just silly.
i don't like 18 year old girls dancing in clubs, the thought makes me disgusted. but because they're 18 they have a right to do so. the supreme court should've based the ruling on the fact that 18 year olds are legally adult citizens and can't have their rights violated, not the thing about the state laws versus the local laws, that just isn't going to hold up.
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