May 15, 2008 7:01 pm US/Eastern
S.I. Principal Lays Down Law: No Date, No Prom
Refuses To Discuss Controversial Decision, Instructs Students Not To Talk About Issue With CBS 2 HD
Reporting
Cindy Hsu
STATEN ISLAND (CBS) ―
Most girls spend months finding the perfect dress and shoes for their prom. And if they don't have a boyfriend, they often go with a group of friends instead of a date.
But one school on Staten Island says no date, no prom.
The juniors at St. Peter's Girl's High School have one week to find a boy to take to prom, or they're not allowed to go. It's a new rule that has some parents upset.
"I don't think it's right because what if they don't have a boyfriend?" mother Tanya Altieri said. "They got to be forced to go bring somebody off the street, or a cousin? That's embarrassing … or your brother?"
Robin Dickerson attended St. Peter's years ago.
"Sometimes you can't get a date, sometimes they cancel, and that just isn't fair," Dickerson said. "This is something they're going to remember forever."
Added New Brighton resident Mimi Quillin: "That's really sad, because I thought we'd just gotten to the point where boys and girls, if they wanted to do it stag, alone, whatever, they could do it."
The New York Archdiocese says none of its other schools have such a restriction, and it's something enacted by interim Principal Florence Bricker.
CBS 2 HD tried to ask the principal why, but was told to leave school property.
The students also had no comment. Off the record, they told CBS 2 HD the principal told them not to talk.
But students right up the street at Curtis High School had plenty to say, on both sides.
"I think that's really ridiculous," Andrea Stuart said. "You have to pay all this extra money and if the prom date you're bringing is not your boyfriend that's a lot of expense for no reason."
Michael Valente disagreed.
"That makes sense only because it probably controls the chaos," Valente said. "You know you're there with somebody, you're less likely to go crazy."
Said Briann Schell: "That's unfair because some people don't want to come with other guys; they want to come with their friends to have fun."
The male escort rule only applies to the girls' junior prom, so next year they'll be free to go no matter what.
The junior prom is next week. There's no word on how many students will be attending.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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