Banned from Prom for offensive dress & no date

Texanna Edwards is a senior at Gibson County High School in Tennessee. In April, 2012, she showed up at her prom wearing a custom-made dress that resembled the Confederate flag. School officials considered the dress “offensive and inappropriate” and turned her away.  She was told that if she  changed clothes she could return and attend. She refused to change and missed her prom.

Texanna & date

Texanna stated that “It was done just for the sole fact that I just wanted a rebel flag dress because I thought it was cool.” The school had experienced race-related incidents in the past. The director of the county school system said “You have to try to do what’s best for every child. Because of past incidents, the principal felt that by admitting that dress it could cause a problem that night . . .” Texanna was surprised she was turned away, commenting that other students regularly wear Confederate flag jewelry and clothes to school.

In another situation, a teenager was denied permission to attend her junior prom because she didn’t have a date. Seventeen year-old Amanda Dougherty goes to Archbishop John Carroll High School in Pennsylvania. She bought her ticket to the dance ($95.00) and spent approximately $1,000 on her dress and accessories. Then her date backed out leaving her without a partner. The school explained that they “view the prom as a special social event where a date is required.” Amanda plans to fight for her right to attend. She expressed her frustration and feelings by commenting “For them to say we’re not good enough to go without a guy next to us, that’s kind of sickening.”

We’ll keep you posted on the outcome. We hope the school relaxes the rule and allows Amanda to participate in the once-in-a-lifetime event. Update: At last report, Amanda was asked out by another boy and will now get to attend her prom. We’re happy for Amanda, but that doesn’t solve the underlying issue. We talk a lot about the rights and responsibilities of kids and teenagers. But what about the duty of a school to respect a student’s welfare and overall best interests. Maybe some of these adults have forgotten how important certain school events are to a teenager.

Doritos dress

On the lighter side, consider Maura Pozek, a 17-year-old at Reed Springs High School in Missouri. She has made all of her prom dresses since her freshman year. Her choice of materials has caught the eye of her friends and now the media.