Dateless Teen Banned From Prom Because, You Know, It’s 1953
Being a teenager can really suck sometimes, what with all that pressure to be skinny, zit-free and all around fabulous. If you’re 17-year-old Amanda Dougherty, it sucks at a whole other level. That’s because she’s been banned from attending prom since she doesn’t have a date. Yup, you read that correctly. No date, no prom!
Dougherty, a student at Archbishop John Carroll High School just outside Philly, did have a prom date at one point but he bailed. So never mind that this girl shelled out $1,000 for tickets, a dress and shoes and that she still planned on attending solo the latter is a big no-no at this one school.
A statement from the Office of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia reads in part:
The prom is an exciting event for students in all of our Archdiocesan high schools. We do have policies in place to regulate both the junior and senior prom. Unfortunately, not all students are able to attend. We can’t address specific issues with specific students but there are various reasons that a student would not be able to attend. Not having a date is one example. Our high schools offer numerous dances and events throughout the year where dates are not required, but we view the prom as a special social event where a date is required to attend.
Um, okay, so this pretty much says nothing and offers no reason as to why this poor girl can’t attend her junior prom alone. Some may argue that “rules are rules” but to them I’d say that unjust rules straight out of 1953 are meant to be broken.
”For them to say not that we’re not good enough to go unless we have a guy standing next to us, it’s just kind of sickening,” Dougherty told CBS News. I couldn’t agree more! Jack Doughterty is on board with his daughter, telling CBS News she began shopping for her prom dress back in December. ”Amanda has been waiting for this for two years, to not be able to go, I feel horrible,” he said. I don’t blame him one bit. The rule is ridiculous, and it sends a dangerous message to students.
(Photo: Laura Stone /Shutterstock)
