District bans 'gender specific' events 19 (UPI) -- Public schools in Cranston, R.I. are no longer allowed to hold father-daughter dances, the new superintendent of Cranston schools has decided. Dr. Judith Lundsten issued a letter banning all "gender specific events" following a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union, WPRO-TV in Providence, R.I. reported. Cranston Mayor Allan Fung said he is extremely disappointed with Lundsten's decision. "I think it is a too limited, too narrow read of how Title IX and the state law are meant to be read," Fung said. Steven Brown of the Rhode Island ACLU applauded the ban, The Providence (R.I.) "This is 2012 and they (public schools) should not be in the business of fostering blatant gender stereotypes," he said. Brown said the ACLU's complaint was "amicably resolved" in May and is now being used to stoke controversy during a political campaign. Monday, a Republican state senate candidate denounced the ban.