Student at Christian School Faces Suspension if He Attends Prom

It's good to know the 50's are alive and well in the 21st century...

news.yahoo.com...

I could tare this school to threads in one hour, bring it completely down!

But I won't I'll see what others have to say, and go on from there.

By the way rebelion, is why the USA is here, rebelion is why we don't stone kids, rebelion, is not an atrocity if justified by reasoning, and logic.

Which this school doesn't have!

If you are going to a private school, you must abide by their rules. If you don't like the rules, find another school. It is the most American thing imaginable: the rule of law.

This doesn't mean i agree with what the school is doing...only that it is their right to do and if the student doesn't like it he should consider enrolling in a different school (or, rather, his parents should).

Nothing to see here...move along.

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan
If you are going to a private school, you must abide by their rules. If you don't like the rules, find another school. It is the most American thing imaginable: the rule of law.

This doesn't mean i agree with what the school is doing...only that it is their right to do and if the student doesn't like it he should consider enrolling in a different school (or, rather, his parents should).

Nothing to see here...move along.

I completely agree actually.
I just find it disheartening that this kind of dark age backwardness is still out there.

Originally posted by Angus123


I completely agree actually.
I just find it disheartening that this kind of dark age backwardness is still out there.

Yeah, me too.

I walked away from Christianity due to this (among other things) and was lucky enough to find Buddhism.

However, it isn't unheard of. When i went to college in Abilene, TX there was Abilene Christian University (affiliated with Church of Christ). Students there were not allowed to have dances or wear shorts while on campus. They have since relaxed the rules some, as students can wear shorts (of an appropriate length) on campus. **sigh** such is life in the Buckle of the Bible Belt.

Angus, BFFT and Republican:

My initial response upon reading this thread title was outrage.

However, all three of you have brought a more sane outlook. Certainly, IF this student wishes to enjoy his Senior Prom in a different way than his 'admittedly' Private School would wish to entertain...then it is indeed a crying shame that such idiotic parochial attitudes can still exist.

To suggest 'moving' to a different school, or venue....that option would appear to be long past.

If this is a 'Christian' Private School, then I would suggest a possiblity of 'child abuse' be directed at the child's Parents!! (NO, not being serious there. This teenager should have been fully cognizant of his experience at this closed-minded 'School'...if he had a division with their "teachings", then he had an opportunity to express those misgivings). But, of course, we do not know the circumstances of his home life, and what sort of control his parents may exert.

So, we've come full circle! The rights of a Parent, absent obvious abuse, to raise their child as they see fit....UNTIL that child reaches the age of consent. VERSUS the 'rights' of the child, prior to the 'age of consent'.

Here's a piece to chew on: In SOME cultures the 'age' of consent is variable. In the USA it is acknowledged to be 18. In the UK, it is 16. In other World cultures....well, it varies.

I know why we use an arbitrary 'age' of 18, in the USA. BUT, not to be indiscrete....we ALL know that the maturation age, i.e., coming into sexual maturity, as in, growing pubic hair and having sexual organs develop can vary, per individual.

ALL combined with the incredibly confusing sexual hormones that begin to be exuded from the brain, as the body develops.

Whilst it is certainly, on one level, the 'right' of a predominately "babtist" school to wish to impose thier version of reality on others, it is also a "right' of each individual to reject those impositions, if he/she so chooses.

SO....WHERE do the rights of the INDIVIDUAL and the "rights" of the 'group' separate???? DOES an individual only have "rights" as long as he/she comports to the 'morality' of the group at large???

This is a very, very slippery slope....I hope everyone can contemplate this....



[edit on 5/9/0909 by weedwhacker]

Rules are rules.

The parents paid for their son to attend that school. They were aware of the rules and still chose that school.

They agreed with the rules until it proved inconvienant for them. Now they want them to make an exception for their son.

reply to post by jd140


I this said to you in another of the three threads about this, and am now saying to everyone in this thread, it doesn't matter what rules he agreed to. The school has no right to dictate his private life. Going to that prom is a private matter on his own time, not the schools. The 'private' school needs to mind their own business.

[edit on 5/9/2009 by Epic Wolf]

Originally posted by Epic Wolf
reply to post by jd140

 

I this said to you in another of the three threads about this, and am now saying to everyone in this thread, it doesn't matter what rules he agreed to. The school has no right to dictate his private life. Going to that prom is a private matter on his own time, not the schools. The 'private' school needs to mind their own business.

[edit on 5/9/2009 by Epic Wolf]

If the prom is being provided by the school, financed by it, or held on school property, then they have every right to dictate the policy for said prom.

Originally posted by weedwhacker

SO....WHERE do the rights of the INDIVIDUAL and the "rights" of the 'group' separate???? DOES an individual only have "rights" as long as he/she comports to the 'morality' of the group at large???

The rights of the individual are not harmed in any sort of way. The individual is free to attend the prom. No legal ramifications. And he will still be able to gain an education via systems that are public.

If i wish to join a group, i accept those prerequisites for joining that group.

Originally posted by BriggsBU
If the prom is being provided by the school, financed by it, or held on school property, then they have every right to dictate the policy for said prom.

I think you misunderstood the article. I don't blame you because it was written a bit confusingly.

The boy attends a private school and he wants to go to his girlfriends prom which is being held by a public school. His private school will not allow him to graduate if he attends the public schools prom.

Without reading the exact wording of this "agreement" he signed, it isn't really possible to determine if he is violating it or if the private school is overstepping their bounds. Either way, I'm sure a judge in a civil court will overturn the private school's decision and he will be allowed to graduate.

[edit on 9-5-2009 by janon]

Originally posted by Epic Wolf
reply to post by jd140

 

I this said to you in another of the three threads about this, and am now saying to everyone in this thread, it doesn't matter what rules he agreed to. The school has no right to dictate his private life. Going to that prom is a private matter on his own time, not the schools. The 'private' school needs to mind their own business.

[edit on 5/9/2009 by Epic Wolf]

I would disagree with that. Traditionally proms are done on school property and it does not matter if it is on his time or their time. Anything happens and the school is liable for all actions of those who attend, so their rules would have to apply. The choice of sending him to a private school was his parents choice, but it kind of reminds me of something I heard a year or 2 ago. A school in an attempts to cut down the amount of gang violence went back to their rules, and sent a letter home to the parents, one year they were going to actually enforce the rules. They suspended a quarter of the student body for not following the dress code.
If they do not like the rules, then the option has to be to transfer to another school, like a public school. Or to if need be, hold a peaceful protest/demonstration not on the schools time or property. If they suspend him while he is not on either the property or while he should be in school, then he would have a case.

Originally posted by sdcigarpig
If they suspend him while he is not on either the property or while he should be in school, then he would have a case.

That is precisely what they are proposing to do. He will not be on the private school's property because he will be attending the prom of a public school.

As I said before, Without reading the exact wording of this "agreement" he signed, it isn't really possible to determine if he is violating it or if the private school is overstepping their bounds.

[edit on 9-5-2009 by janon]

Originally posted by janon

Originally posted by sdcigarpig
If they suspend him while he is not on either the property or while he should be in school, then he would have a case.

That is precisely what they are proposing to do. He will not be on the private school's property because he will be attending the prom of a public school.

This is not true. Not in the slightest. First of all, this is a private school that is allowed to have it own rules (as long as they abide by the Constitution, ie no discriminating on race, etc).

However, in public schools the school can punish a student for behavior exhibited after school hours and off school property. My son was overheard swearing while he was not on school grounds and is in the middle of a 1 week stint in ISS (in school suspension).

Moreover, schools are responsible for the safety of students. If two students fight after school, 1 mile away from the school, the school is compelled to act.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Yeshua was not a christian. What type of buddhism do you practice?

The school has every right to do what they want. It's a private school, not a public school so the government and you have no business telling the school what to do.

It's between the kid, his parents and the school. If I were his parents, I'd be all over the school for trying to do such things. I'd let them know really quick it was none of their business and that I would take my kid out of the school if they tried to keep that policy. The private school is still a business, and this kind of thing won't look good on them, or be good for business.

If the school doesn't change their mind, then the kid is free to choose another school.

I wonder if some of you have any clue what freedom means. It means you have to give it to everyone, even when you don't agree with it. That people would even think they have a right to dictate the policies to a private school only goes to show why things are so screwed up these days.

reply to post by depth om


it could be described as "Rampaism", however if you want something a little less esoteric i prefer to study the Zen texts.

I would say that if i were to describe it, it would be Navayana Buddhism

I think this just show us how far from understanding religion one can get.

Its not a sin to go to a prom. But you can sin at the prom just like one can do sin anywhere else as well.
But you can't ban people from living and moving around. That is a sin. Its a sin for us to ban others from being free. Religion is about us making our own decisions, Not that some institution is suppose to make them for us.

Force or threats don't make us better only understanding will do that.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


You missed my point but that is okay. I never said anything about what the school can or can't do. I was affirming the fact that they are planning on suspending and thus not allowing to graduate a boy that is going to a public school function that has nothing to do with the private school.

BUT I said that without reading the agreement between the private school and the boy, it isn't possible to determine if he is actually in violation of the agreement.

reply to post by spy66


True, and that is why we have to stick up for the schools rights, even if we strongly disagree with their choice. In fact, I think it's when we disagree with their actions such as in this case when it is needed the most.

If I was that kids parent, I'd be all over that school. I'd be like I pay good money for an education, not for control over my kids. And if they didn't change their mind, I would be vocal about pulling my kids of out of the school and why. And I would think that other parents would also do the same.

School is clearly wrong in their choice, but they have every right to make that choice. Such is the price of freedom.